Oracle Cards : What are they & how to use them
Choosing a card from my Nature Lover’s Pocket Oracle Deck
You may think oracle cards are only reserved for the mystic, the magical, or the psychic. BUT, they’re not! They’re for everyday folk looking to live an inspired life full of personal growth & new opportunities.
“Oracle cards aren’t magic. But can be magical.”
Oracle cards are one of those things I feel you know about or you don’t though. Some, use oracle cards to guide their meditations, as journalling prompts, or as an addition to their personal development practice. Others might use them to clarify or confirm tarot readings.
“Oracle cards can be used to guide meditations, as journalling prompts, to integrate into your personal development practice, or clarify a tarot reading.”
If you’re new to the world of oracle cards or simply want to learn more, in this blog post I’ll share what oracle cards are, how to use them, and how to choose an oracle card deck that suits you.
This post is purely based on personal experience. Please take what resonates & leave the rest. And if you happen to not believe or agree with this practice, please move on. This isn’t for you. Everyone has the right & freedom to explore, express, and make their own decisions on what feels right for them, without judgement & fear, to help them heal and live their most fulfilled life.
So what the heck are oracle cards?
Tarot and oracle cards are used as a tool for self-reflection & personal insight, to explore one's thoughts and feelings on a deeper level, leading you to the best version of who they are. Tarot & oracle readings can be done by professional readers or by individuals for themselves, using guidebooks and intuition.
Unlike tarot cards, which has the same structure and storyline from deck-to deck (regardless of the artwork), oracle cards are more open-ended in theme, structure, and the artists’ interpretations of those elements.
Mostly motivational, oracle cards prompt you to reflect on their messages and may even have an action or question to consider in their guidebook.
It's important to note that tarot and oracle cards are not a proven method of predicting the future due to the fluid nature of our own free will and personal circumstances.
A card pulled from the Nature Lover’s Pocket Oracle Deck : Animal Edition
Best use for oracle cards
Oracle cards are great to use on their own to pull daily inspiration from or do a full reading using “spreads”.
On their own
If you’re feeling challenged in a specific area of life or simply want some information about a specific situation:
Shuffle the cards while thinking about your question.
When ready, pull a single card (or multiple) based on the spread you may have chosen.
When the cards are pulled, use your intuition first to pick up anything that might jump out at you in the oracle card artwork or text. Sometimes a number is used on each of the cards, which can also be used for interpretation with an understanding of numerology.
Refer to the oracle card guidebook to get more information from the author about the card(s) you’ve pulled.
Journal about the oracle card(s) if you feel inspired to and note any insights or actions you might take.
Clarifying a tarot reading
Many tarot readers use oracle cards to clarify the theme at the start or end of a reading (or both). Or to clarify specific tarot cards during a reading. It’s really up to the reader or how you’d like to read for yourself. All ways are valid.
Before the tarot reading
When you are ready to start your tarot reading:
Shuffle the oracle cards with your question in mind.
When shuffled, pull one oracle card (or a couple) to get a sense for what the tarot reading might be about.
Refer to the oracle card, as you draw your tarot cards, to pull the reading together with a cohesive message.
During the tarot reading
When you’re pulling tarot cards, and would like clarification or confirmation of the energy around those:
Shuffle the oracle cards.
Pull one oracle card to get clarification for that tarot card.
Consider both tarot and oracle cards to gain insights into what messages the cards are trying to share.
After the tarot reading
If you’ve pulled all of your tarot cards for the spread and have completed your reading:
Shuffle the oracle cards.
When, ready, pull an oracle card (or a couple) to wrap up the reading, receive further clarity, advice, or confirmation for your tarot reading.
Some readers like to do one of the above or combine a couple for as much clarity as possible. While you are encouraged to do what feels best, keep in mind, pulling too many cards or doing multiple readings in a day for the same purpose may muddy the message and confuse things even further so be mindful and respectful of this practice to get the most out of it.
A close up view of oracle cards from the Nature Lover’s Pocket Oracle Deck : Treasures Edition
How to choose an oracle card deck
While this might feel like a daunting task, because there are SO many beautiful oracle decks there, start with an oracle deck that calls you in through the theme or artwork and one you’d be excited to work with.
Before you purchase, make a note of it and consider some of these other things.
Research the oracle deck & maker
An easy web search on Google or Etsy will bring up thousands of oracle decks.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There are many counterfeit decks out there so ensure you’re purchasing from a reputable book store / publisher, OR the original artist, which can be identified with their own stand-alone website and/or a social media account with works in progress, sneak peeks, and general “lead up” to the decks’ release.
Scroll through and find one’s where you love the artwork and the messages the oracle cards offer.
Many times, some of the card designs are printed on the back of the packaging so you can get a feel for the card artwork. Other times, the product listing will show some or all of the oracle deck. Failing that, you can search “flip throughs” or “walk throughs” for oracle decks you’re curious about seeing IRL (in real life) on YouTube. This is how I’ve researched oracle decks I think I might be interested in.
I personally avoid oracle card decks that feel too complex or I don’t intuitively connect with. A lot of this comes down to artwork and theming for me.
This is what I had in mind with my own oracle decks that I designed: Nature Lover’s Pocket Oracle Deck.
I wanted to ensure that these cards were friendly, joyful, and easily interpreted without any guidebook. However, a digital guidebook is available for each deck which will offer extended interpretations, questions to ponder, and a notes’ section to add your own interpretations about the cards.
Consider size, card stock, & finish of the oracle deck
Once you have a list of ones’ you might be interested in, consider size & finish as every oracle deck is different. Choosing an oracle deck with the right size & finish, will ensure your experience using them is enjoyable.
Size
The larger oracle decks are nicer for the sake of seeing the artwork. However, can be difficult to shuffle and even store. The smaller one’s fit nicer in the hand and are easier to store or travel with. This choice comes down to preference in the end as size doesn’t really matter to some.
Card stock
Oracle deck card stock can range greatly based on who is printing or bringing it to market. Most of the mass market decks and experienced deck creators, tend to use great card stock that is sturdy but also flexible (300 - 330 gsm). Card stock that is too flimsy, risks being ripped in the shuffling process and won’t stand the test of time. Card stock that is heavier makes the overall deck thicker than the average deck, making the cards more rigid and difficult to shuffle.
Finish
Finishes on oracle decks can range from super matter to super glossy. Again, this comes down to preference. The glossier the stock, the easier the shuffle. But, if you’re using lights in a reading, might offer some glare. The more matte the stock, the “stickier” the cards might be to shuffle but has a benefit of not offering any glare. Semi-gloss or standard matte is a nice middle-of-the-road finish that offers a little of both worlds.
WARNING: Once you find an oracle deck you love, you WILL want more to add to your library. I’m up to 8 oracle card decks and 4 tarot decks. How about you?
Have any questions about oracle cards? Comment below & I’ll get back to you!
Looking for an oracle deck to start with? Take a look at mine!
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