I have a million exciting reasons to share my tarot cards, but for a million other reasons, I’ll only list three:
– Because they’re pretty
– Because (if you choose) I’ll be using them with you
– Because it’s Tuesday
If I can be trusted to keep a schedule, I’d like Tuesday to be this blog’s tarot day.
And maybe Thursdays, too.
And Saturday does have a ‘T’ in it. Hmm. . . .
At any rate, I hope to eventually create some kind of a guide: to the cards, to the spreads, to the uses and misuses of tarot. But for today, let’s take it easy.
Let’s explore just what I have to offer.
The Modern Witch Tarot
This is probably one of the most popular decks out there – after the Raider-Waite deck, of course. To call it “modern” is an understatement – it’s distinctly of the now, and clearly for hip kids. Initially these things turned me off to it, but seeing as how I’m a lover of nostalgia, it ultimately dawned on me that some day this would be nostalgia. Fairly quickly, I developed a relationship with the deck, as one often does, and now I can’t go without it. It’s one of my most reliable when reading for myself.
The Moonology Oracle Deck
This is another popular deck, but not of tarot, and not for self-readings (at least not for me). These cards work great in readings for others, though, even if they give me nonsense when I put in personal inquiries (trust me, decks have their own motives). Being an oracle deck, it has no Major or Minor Arcana. No suits, no court cards, none of that. It’s advice draws from another symbology – in this case the phases and astrological placements of the moon.
Seventh Sphere Tarot de Marseille
My first deck, and still my favorite. I’ve used this thing so much that the gold accents have worn through and I have to close my eyes when I pull cards so as not to recognize them from the back. This is not to say that they’re poorly made – au contraire, this is because they are so well-made. Like the Velveteen rabbit, they’ve been loved almost to the point of becoming real. If some day I find an actual magician or high priestess springing from this deck, I wouldn’t be surprised.
The Wild Offering Oracle Deck
This deck carries simple yet profound advice on “giving it all to God.” This is a key part of spreads pertaining to existential problems, chronic complaints, or control issues. It points out just where you need to let go and let the intelligence of the universe do its thing.
Mother Mary Oracle Cards
The book! The booklet that comes with this is so rich and comforting and wise, there have been times it’s brought me to tears. I was not raised religious, so I have next to no baggage with saints and prophets – but even if I did, the Christian bend of this deck is so mild it’s hardly there at all. It’s nothing but divine mother love, patience, and guidance.
Arcana Iris Sacra Tarot
Another Labyrinthos deck (like the Seventh Sphere), I never actually intended to own this one. I ordered their astrology deck, but this is the one that showed up in the mail. As a firm believer in meaningful synchronicity, I kept it, though to be honest I can’t use it much in readings for myself. It’s great at clarifying other cards, and seems to specialize in grief-related topics and so-called men’s issues. Like many of my decks, it gives better guidance to others than to me. It’s sure lovely to look at, though.
True Heart Tarot
A new deck, just from this year, the accompanying guidebook was written by Rachel True – the chick who played Mary Jane in Half-Baked. That’s hardly why I wanted this deck (ahem, the artwork), but once I realized what was going on, my inner-stoned-teenager delighted on a level I could never have expected. Unlike the previous deck, this one’s basically my best friend. Ever eager to give me good advice, its one weakness is its penchant for flattery – always telling me I’m beautiful, creative, and kind. Needless to say, the feeling’s mutual.
The Arcana of Astrology Oracle Deck
Another new deck from 2020, these cards and their guidebook speak to me as an astrologer and a fan of mythology in equal measure. Their messages are direct and mostly intuitive to me, as I’ve been studying astrology quite literally since childhood. It was my first love (aside from the Beatles and the sea), and continues to serve me well.
The Sacred Self-Care Oracle Deck
A great end-cap to any reading, the simple suggestions of this deck both direct and soothe. Often, they provide a time-out in which to truly integrate the messages of the larger spread. They’re probably the best cards I have to pull alone, as well, one per day, just to give myself a little sacred footing.
And those are my cards! If you wish to schedule a reading with me, you’ll be dealing with anywhere between three and ALL of those decks. They each have their own personalities, and they know to speak up when they have something valuable to offer. I trust ’em, and I hope you will too.