If you were to rewind 8 years, you would find me on the brink of motherhood, without a plan of action, really feeling the need for a guide. What I found were oracle cards and the first steps in trusting my own judgement.
With the vulnerabilities I have I have experienced being too trusting, to other times finding it difficult to trust even myself. My relationship with oracle cards has developed as a tool to come back to, and to trust my own judgement.
Using Oracle cards has been a personal part of my spiritual practice, which has deepened through my studies as a Daughter of Brigid, beginning to host gatherings of like-minded or curious folk and reading for others. If you are interested in giving oracle cards a go, here are a few tips to get you started.
You don’t need to be given your first deck of cards, be they tarot or oracle, by an old witch elder. This is a myth.
Choose a deck which speaks to you. Find a deck which you truly resonate with and you’ll be more likely to go back to it regularly for guidance. My favourite deck is the Oracle Ouitch by Josée-Anne Sarazin-Côté, a deck full of crystals, herbs, elements and chakras. Other favourites include the Earth Alchemy Oracle by Katie-Jane Wright and the Herbal Astrology Oracle by Adriana Ayales.
Allow yourself the time to read. When works best for you? Some people like to choose a card before journaling in the morning, or to set an intention for the day. You may prefer to take a longer time in the evenings to read a larger spread for deeper guidance.
Get to know your deck. Some common ways to infuse your energy with your deck include knocking on it to ‘wake it up’, placing a crystal whose properties match your intention on your deck to infuse before you read, cleansing from previous sessions with sound or smoke, shuffling and sorting the cards before you sit down to read.
There are many different spreads you can do but a classic you can get started with is a three card spread symbolising the past (the root of the problem), the present (what do you need right now, what is the most pressing issue) and the future (the best course of action).
Most decks come with a guidebook to explain the symbolism of each card to you. These can be a really useful starting point but your gut reaction is also valid guidance.
Leave a comment to let me know your favourite deck or spread, or if you have any questions.
Remember, the cards are a tool to connect you to your intuition - the magic is in you.
I love this and swear by oracle cards to help me tap into my intuition. Brilliant!
Love the idea of tarot cards but have never been able to really connect with a deck. I'm a big dreamer, teach dream guidance, and see my dreams as my oracle. Any suggestions on a deck or thoughts?