My Love Affair with Oracle Cards

Oct 19

“Oracle Cards? You mean Tarot?”

That’s the most common response I get when I talk about Oracle cards. It makes sense as Tarot has been around since the 18th Century. It’s a well-established system that is often slightly adapted/modified/tweaked to an author’s perspective and interpretations of the original artwork and descriptions. Nearly every Tarot deck (with some exceptions) has 78 cards.

Oracle Cards are a different thing altogether. Here’s the most important differentiator between Tarot and Oracle Cards.

There are no rules to Oracle Cards.

That’s the beauty of them. They don’t have any restrictions or limitations. Everything is through the lens of the author and/or artist producing the deck. That means that there’s a lot of varying decks out there. And as Oracle Cards have gone “mainstream” and become more popular, so has the number of creators. I spoke with a local Barnes and Noble employee who said that they were selling out of cards so fast, they had a hard time restocking them. (To be fair, I probably was the cause of that issue for a good 6–8 weeks).

If you’re curious about the history of Oracle Decks, this write-up is a great primer (except that I disagree with her statement about storytelling).

https://www.kelleemaize.com/post/what-the-heck-are-oracle-cards

Simply said, Oracle Cards are most often used to prompt self-discovery and encourage intuition. I do not use Oracle Cards to tell the future (because they can’t), I do not use Oracle Cards to tell give me a direct answer on things (because they can’t). So what’s the true purpose then?

I like to think of Oracle Cards as the ultimate journaling or introspection tool.

As someone with a heavy background in journaling, expressive writing, and other creative expression techniques used to facilitate healing, I know the benefits of using prompts or narratives to reach a deeper level of introspection. In fact, psychotherapist Kay Adams, a pioneer in the field of journaling and expressive writing, developed the Journal Ladder which expresses how useful a journaling “technique” can be for writers. As Kay says,

“I discovered that when I could discern my patients’ emotional and cognitive processing styles, I could select a section of the ladder that would likely be most helpful, and I could then calibrate the techniques in that section to match the patients’ presenting problems.”

I’ve used this ladder with my own clients and students with great success. But the point of telling you all of this is to say that Oracle Cards fit into the highest rung of the ladder. They fall under the umbrella of abstract, intuitive, and insightful techniques — which means that when someone is using oracle cards with a journaling practice, they are reaping the benefits of journal therapy.

My journaling practice has become a much more robust, enjoyable, and insightful experience when I incorporated oracle cards into the mix. It adds another layer of introspection as well as encourages my own intuition and inner-guidance. This is by far the most important and impactful way I work with the cards. When I do a “reading” for myself or others, it’s always, always paired with a journaling prompt or a way to use the cards for further introspection.

Through oracle cards, I’ve found a creative and unique way to reach the inner guidance that I’ve never been able to achieve before. Sometimes the cards provide comfort or security to me when I’m in a situation. Sometimes, they give me a new perspective or lens to look through. Sometimes, they are just really good reminders that I’m a creative human being with things to say.

I can say without a doubt that using oracle cards as part of my daily routine has not only improved my mental health and my journaling practice, it has given me a chance to reconnect with my intuition, my inner guidance, and my creativity. Additionally, some of the artwork displayed on the decks are incredible. So with all the benefits that come with using oracle cards, why aren’t more people using them?

Because they’re still mysterious to most. They are stigmatized and thought of as “witchy” tools. But I’m here to tell you that anyone, anywhere can reap the benefits of using oracle cards.

And the best part? You can try before you buy. Many oracle card creators have free digital decks that you can try out. Here are a few that are often recommended: