November 26 - December 02, 2011 ~ Ogham: The Celtic Oracle

Ogham The Celtic Oracle
Peter Pracownik, Andy Baggott
(c) AG Muller, 2004

I purchased this deck from a member at Aeclectic Tarot.  I thought it would help me learn Ogham as I had just purchased a set of myrtle wood (Oregon) staves from a local artisan.  Has it helped? To be truthful, I haven't really tried.

The cards are quite large, which is good as there is a great deal going on in each card.  They are all set up the same, but I wasn't distracted by that at all.  The book gives information on the correspondences with birds, season, ogham alphabet, month, etc., and also has upright and inverted interpretations.  There is also a couple of paragraphs on the tree (or shrub) and correspondences in general.  I found it very helpful, though the cards are pretty expressive on their own.

I used the same spread all week (Pathway Spread from Wildwood Tarot).  It just seemed appropriate.  I also asked rather specific questions that referred to my behavior / response to specific situations.  The readings all week were not only meaningful, but beneficial when making choices on how to react.  The last draw is always reserved for the deck to give my parting words of advice. The cards I drew supported the theme of the week's draws and has given my much to consider.  Therefore, as a reading deck, I would say that this is an exceptional one.  It feels like a deck that wants to not just point out what is going on, but also wants to help navigate situations successfully.

One of these days, I will use it in conjunction with the Ogham Staves.  I think that it would help to bring a visual to an otherwise non-visual divination system.  It is hard to intuit from a stick with some marks on it.  Though, I will say that I feel an urge to make mine own.  See, I have a 7 year old hazelnut tree that I grew from a nut.  It is getting big enough that I think I could take a branch to create my own staves, or even rounds.  

Rating: Keeper +

November 19 - 25, 2011 ~ Jeu Lenormand, Carta Mundi

Jeu Lenormand
Carta Mundi, 1970

This is one of those old, cheap decks I purchased off of eBay hoping for a nice, broken in deck.  Instead, I received an old deck that was unused.  I wasn't sure about using this deck (or the others), but they were purchased to be used.  I didn't pay very much for them and I am not a real collector anyway.  I want to use what I have, not preserve it.

This particular deck is absolutely beautiful.  The cards are nice and shiny from not being used.  The box is similar to the 1970 Carta Mundi box shown at the World Playing Card Museum, but not quite.  It is blue, with the astrological symbols, but not exactly the same.  The cards are in French, with playing card inset (oval) and verses.  I have found that my French is not as rusty as I thought.  Could I hold a conversation? No.  But could I read a Lenormand card? Oui!

Lenormand decks are a bit of an enigma for me.  There are several systems (Treppner, Sylvie Steinbach, Melissa, etc. ) and I am not sure of any of them! I don't have any books and the information on the Internet is all over the place.  I try to read them intuitively, but sometimes that doesn't work well.  I spent the week being alternatively frustrated and inspired.  I do not care for the roller coaster and have decided that until I can get some sort of instruction / background with these cards that I am going to shelve them.


As a reading deck, I am not sure that they are suitable for daily readings.  They seem to be better suited to readings with a definite question that needs a definite answer.   They also are quite fun for "Lessons of the Day."  These readings are usually not related to the day at all, but are lessons that can be taken from just looking at the cards.  This is an exercise I turn to when I don't care to know anything about my day.  It is fun and helps me to learn new systems.

Rating these is a bit difficult.  I can compare them to the Biedermeier styled Czech deck from a few weeks ago:  I prefer the Biedermeier system!   But really, it isn't fair to rate something about which I am completely clueless. The cards themselves are collectible, so for now, that will be the rating!

Rating: Collectible

October 15 - 21, 2011 ~ Vykládací karty Ivy Hüttnerové

Vykládací karty Iva Hüttnerové
Iva Hüttnerové
OT Kolín


I got this deck because I was already ordering from Baba Prague store! I know, what a silly reason!  But I am glad I did. 


This is a 32 Card deck and from what I can tell, it is essentially a Biedermeier style gypsy deck.  The cards are all there, except four.  The four that do not correspond to the traditional Biedermeier cards are:  Love, Dissimulation, Trouble, and Temptations.  The cards from the Biedermeier not depicted in this deck are: Anger, Constancy, Ecclesiastic, and Unexpected.  Most had the same names, but a couple of the cards were slightly different, but still aligned with a Biedermeier card.

The card stock is fair, but did stand up well to the enormous drops of water that accidentally fell on a few of them.  They dried nicely, but not without giving me a panic!  The size is typical for an oracle deck - relatively small.  The colors tend to muted tones, but the artwork is nice.  Dreamy looking, but nice.  As I gain more experience with various oracle decks of this type, I have noticed that each one has its own flavor, or depiction of a common theme.  For example, the cards for Man and Woman cards (each named "Beloved"), are quite narrowly defined in this deck.  The Man is a dapper fellow, out to meet his mistress under the cover of darkness.  The Woman sits naked on a bed - wearing nothing but black stockings and The Man's top hat! It is interesting to note that the same characters are depicted through out the deck, showing, I think, a story.


I found this to be an interesting deck - getting used to these gypsy decks is going to take some time.  There is no touchy-feely psychology in these.  No.  Just straight up "this is this and that is that!"


Rating: Keeper +

July 30 – August 5, 2011 ~ Post Psychedelic Cyber Punk

Post Psychedelic Cyber Punk
Marsha Falkov, 2006

This was a "I don't love you anymore" find at Aeclectic Tarot.  For whatever reason, the original owner didn't care for the deck and was happy to give it to somebody who might like it.

Well, I like it! Alot.  It is a self published deck available at the artists Etsy Store for a mere $20.00.  Go there.  Buy it. The card stock could be better - but it is okay.  All it really needs is rounded corners.  An adventurous person could do that easily.  The deck is black and white - the black is VERY shiny and it is clear and crisp.  The backs are confusing, but it works.

This is not a tarot deck, but rather a 60 card oracle.  The artist lives in Portland and there are a few places I recognize in the cards.  Some of the cards are portrait in layout, others are landscape.  It is a free and easy going oracle and it doesn't matter.  And really, that should be the point.  It shouldn't matter.  Just go with the flow and be easy.   I relate to this deck.

As a reading deck it is intelligent and funny.  I like decks that make me think - it isn't just intuition, sometimes you have to think about it and look at the intuition from an intellectual point of view.  And vice versa.

Rating: Keeper.

July 2 – 8, 2011 ~ Trust Your Vibes Oracle

Trust Your Vibes Oracle
Sonia Choquette
Hay House, 2004

I received this little gem from an Aeclectic Tarot member as a gift for the Christmas/Yule/Midwinter Exchange.  She had also made a lovely little spiced tea mix, but the bag had come unsealed during mailing.  The result is that the cards were covered in cinnamon, instant tea, and other spices.


And this brings us to the card stock.  Not surprisingly, the cards were a bit sticky.  But a dampened cloth soon had the stickiness wiped away.  The cards were left with a lovely spicy odor which exists to this day.   The cards are durable and laminated, but not stiff.  They are rather large, more square than rectangular.   The colors are very vibrant.

It is a 52-card oracle.  Each card is numbered and then has an affirmation (I guess those are affirmations?) on each one.  The art work is very simple and colorful and actually very pleasing.  I had my doubts about these cards, but a few readings had me sending those doubts on their way!

As a reading deck, it is quite expressive.  The cards are full of images that evoke a variety of responses.  I thought the number and the little quotes on each one would be overwhelming, but they aren't really an issue.  Not even distracting.

Rating: Keeper+

May 28 – June 3 ~ Druid Animal Oracle

Druid Animal Oracle
Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm, Wil Worthington
Connections Book Publishing, 2005

I received this deck this year from A. Nonny Mouse.  The kindness and support of another person at that point in my life was truly appreciated and will not be forgotten.

The cards are nice and large - and if I hadn't trimmed off the edges of my DruidCraft, I could mix them all together!  The card stock is fine for the size of the cards.  A stiff card stock with a deck that size can be problematic for my small hands.  The colors are nice and the booklet is quite thorough.  I am sure the book provides greater detail, but I found the booklet to be descriptive and useful.

The artwork is superb - as to be expected from Wil Worthington.   The cards are large enough to all the detail to be seen without squinting and to allow entering into the scenes.  There are four dragon cards - a dragon for each element.  All in all there, are 33 cards in the deck, each depicting a bird, animal, or reptile that has significance within the OBOD flavor of Druidry and Celtic Lore. 

This is another one of those decks that is "special" because it fits with my world view.   I will likely not use it often as an oracle deck, but as meditation starting points, the cards are invaluable.   I had difficulty with readings during its week because I just don't see them as an oracle but rather as a tool for something else.  I hope to get another DruidCraft (the deck only from same publisher) as well as the Druid Plant Oracle.  Together, these will make a very useful tool for me.


Rating: Keeper

March 26 – April 1, 2011 ~ Victorian Flower Oracle.

Victorian Flower Oracle
Karen Mahony, Alex Ukolov
Magic Realist Press, 2008


I bought this deck from Amazon in 2010 as part of my graduation gift to myself.  I bought four decks - one for each year of university and hard work.

I love Victorian art and I especially like JJ Grandville, so this deck was a no brainer for me.  I am not a huge oracle person, but I do have a few and I like the ones I have.   This is one of those decks that goes better with tea in a vintage tea service.


The artwork is expressive and the flower lore that is discussed in the book fits nicely with the images.  I like the softness of the images.  The card stock is typical for MRP (meaning it is among the best).  At first, I was terrified of bending and ripping the cards, but they are deceptively strong.  They feel fragile, but are quite tough.  The size is a bit larger, but with the detail of the artwork, this is necessary.

As a reading deck, I find that it gets personal.  During the week I spent with it, I was ill with a sinus infection and on antibiotics for some time.  Every day, the deck told me how sick I was and as the week ended, it told me I was getting better.  I am not used to such a personal response from my decks!  Readings for others have also been a bit personal, to the point of prying, in my opinion.  And a little bossy. I normally don't anthropomorphize my decks, but this one really makes me think of an older busy-body Victorian lady, gossiping over tea and biscuits.  Maybe a small port now and then...



Rating: Keeper+