Divination Practice: Themed Tarot and Oracle Decks

There are a plethora of themed Tarot and oracle decks. You may see animal, plant, crystal, magic, and mythological creature themed decks—as well as others that escape my mind at the moment. Artistic style on any given divination deck may greatly vary from the next as well. At this time, I own a little over 800 divination decks of various themes and styles. If you read my Zodiac Week Ahead Readings, you may note that I use a different deck for each of the 12 signs each week. Those decks may feature mermaids, cats, crystals, or a more traditional style. However, I have noted a debate among readers as well as some seekers. They ask, does the theme or artwork detract from the accuracy of a reading? How can a “cute” fairy oracle deck be taken seriously?

My opinion, as a longtime card reader, is that the interpretation rests on the reader. If an angel deck triggers the intuition of the reader, then this is the deck that works for them. If a deck that is comprised of stick figures and crayon doodles tickles the reader’s inner Brigid, then this is as valid a deck as the one Pamela Coleman-Smith created for Arthur E. Waite. What it boils down to is that the reader is the diviner. The energy does not come from the images, but from the person interpreting the cards and tapping into the energy that flows from the seeker and those that surround them.

This is not to say that a person who resonates best with a traditional system and style (Tarot de Marseille, Rider-Waite-Smith, or Thoth for example) is more closed off to their intuitive side as one individual stated in an online debate. They have just found the tools that speak to them. There is room for every reader in today’s library of divination tools. Card readers of the world: live and let live. Seekers: be open to the messages. You chose the reader, let the reader choose the cards.