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A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. March's Theme: "Action and Inaction"
Volume 7 Issue 3 ISSN# 1708-3265

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 		Cards & Curios
Oracle Cards
with Dan Pelletier

Ubiquitous espresso in hand, I opened the door to Cards & Curios, and was greeted by the most amazing aroma.

Expecting the pale, bald, elderly gent who manages the shop to step out from the office in the back of the store, I was surprised when the big woman appeared at the back carrying two plates of something steaming. "Where's… um… you know, I don't even know his name…"

"Eli's out today; you get me. I know you love jambalaya, and I just made it. Sit. Eat."

I walked past the glass counters on my left, and angled to my right where she was setting the plates down on an old table shoved in the corner. The white Wedgwood china was a stark contrast to her coffee-coloured skin. I sat where she indicated.

The jambalaya was magnificent. I was in heaven.

"Eli told me you were coming today. Never mind how he knows, he just does. We have time to chat before anybody disturbs us, so talk. Tell me what's on your mind."

"I've been thinking lately. Not everybody is comfortable with Tarot cards."

"True enough."

"So that got me pondering on Oracle cards."

"I love Oracle cards. Sometimes they do get right to the point." She reached down and placed three small boxes on the table. "I think you should ponder upon these as you enjoy your lunch."

"How did you…? Never mind. I assume you know I've spent the last couple months using these three decks."

"Yes, we know. Eli and I both wanted to know what you thought of them."

"Well, Psycards - 'The Great Game of the Human Heart' - is illustrated by the talented Maggie Kneen, who created the Old English Tarot, and was conceived by Nick Hobson. The 40 cards are divided into groups; 35 of the cards are divided into groups of seven cards each. The categories are The Fundamentals, The Archetypes, The Symbols, The Characters, and The Happenings. The remaining five cards include The Inquirer, Yes, No, Now, and Later."

"But how did they work for you?" She paused. "How could you have let me forget the cornbread?" She got up and came back to the table a moment later with fresh cornbread steaming on a plate.

"I thought the illustrations are soft, peaceful, and approachable. They are thought provoking, and well… subtle in my opinion."

The cornbread was still warm. I talked around a mouthful.

"Now, Madam Endora's Fortune Cards by Christine Fitzpatrick are a sharp contrast. The 48-card deck contains artwork that the box tells us 'is based on Old World myth and lore, and blends Egyptian, Celtic, and fantasy themes in an elegant Art Nouveau style'. I found them almost Gothy, as opposed to Art Nouveau. The cards are grouped into themes that include The Royal Court, The Realm of Fable, The Beastury, The Treasures, and the Elements. Each card has a brief statement on the bottom that provides a base meaning."

"And how did they read?"

"The meanings on the cards make them almost instantly usable. I suppose you could augment them by actually reading the little white book. I liked them."

She got up, went into the back room and returned with pan and scooped me out a second serving of jambalaya. "And what did you think of the last one?"

"Well, The Deck of Shadows by Scott Grossberg is a 54-card deck that is the same size as a playing card deck. Excellent for folks with small hands. Each card has a playing card title on the top, four words around the sides that each describe varied aspects of central concepts, with a classic black and white bit of art in the centre and a symbol on the bottom."

"Now I know you detest Tarot decks with 'keywords' on them, and I know you prefer decks that ain't in English. You always tell folks those words can confuse the sitter. So this is a deck with words all over it - what did you think?"

I finished the last of my jambalaya and took another piece of cornbread for dessert.

"Creepy. Dang creepy is how I found it. Dang near scary accurate. I've been playing with Oracles and Tarot for almost four decades, and I don't get surprised too much. But this deck I found is quite surprising, and wonderful. I travel a lot, and many oracle decks still appear like Tarots when you pull them out; it's the size and the art. This deck looks like a deck of cards, albeit with dark faces. I can actually pull this out in an airport or in an aircraft and not draw too much attention to myself. And since space and weight are important when I'm on the road, having an Oracle the same size as a deck of playing cards is important. And I can also play solitaire with it."

"You like it better than the others?"

"Not better. It's just different. Each of the three has merit. I think they represent the three of the best Oracle decks available today. Some folks will resonate with one better than the others. Dang - that was good."

"Glad you enjoyed it; it was a pleasure to watch you enjoy it. Made my day. Best check the time."

"Whoa, I hate to eat and run but I gotta scoot."

"It's okay, hon. We'll look forward to seeing you next time." TAROT GARDEN


Dan Pelletier is the author of 'The Process - The Way of the Tarot Reader', articles appearing in the Tarot for Life website newsletter "Seeker's Journey", TarotSchool.com, and Tarot Passages; Dan has also published interviews with deck creators on the tarotgarden.com website library.

Dan has been reading Tarot for himself and others for close to four decades; is also co-owner of The Tarot Garden, a highly respected resource for tarot decks and related information on the Internet.

He lives north of Seattle Washington with his wife of 24 years Jan, his two cats Spook and Pookha, and 32 rosebushes.

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