My Tarot and Oracle Decks

Tiffany September 6, 2022 Tarot (8) Comments

I have talked about this in another blog but I started my tarot journey years ago, and only recently during the start of the pandemic picked it back up, and started picking it back up and studying it again. So, on that journey I also picked up wanting to work with Oracle as well. I currently have 9 oracle decks, and 3 tarot, though I only count 2 as the third one I don’t use, but we will talk about that later. I don’t feel like I need or want anymore tarot decks, but I do have more oracle decks on my Wishlist.

I also today just ordered one, so hopefully in a month (because I ordered it from the UK) I can say I have 10 oracle decks. I also have my eye on a lenormand deck, but it’s not finished being created yet, and like tarot I don’t want a lot of them, so I am waiting for the one I really want, and it’s connected to another deck, so when I talk about that one I will mention this one.

Just for reference Tarot and Oracle are not the same, Tarot is 78 card deck, that is a structured deck that is split into a major and minor arcana, and the minor arcana is split into four suits. While oracle cards are freeform, there are no real rules (though there might be meanings or it’s own thing) but there are no “rules” like tarot. Think of tarot (and lenormand) as a haiku, and oracle as blank-verse or freeform poetry.

Other deck types are angel cards, sybilla, cartomancy, oh cards, phromayarn, kipper, etc. I don’t know much about them, expect that cartomancy is done with playing cards which is not something I am personally interested in, but if your a play that you don’t want any tarot, oracle, etc around for whatever reason, you can always try with playing cards. The rest I am interested into looking more into eventually.

*Note, all the decks look so much better in person, the camera washed them out, and the flash didn’t help. I used my DSLR which is great, but the pictures don’t look right, but it was much easier to upload the photos to my laptop so lol.

Starting with the tarot decks.

1. Morgan-Greer Tarot
This is a deck from US Games, and it is the original deck from 1979, so it is 43 years old and the deck (not the box lol) is still in great condition. It is a thin, semi shine finish (it’s hard to tell, because it feels matte now), and so easy to shuffle. The creator is Bill F. Greer and Lloyd Morgan.

I use to have the rider–waite tarot deck when I first got into tarot years ago, and found this one from a user on a pixel doll art forum back in the day told me about the morgan-greer, so I got 1979 version used and loved it ever since, and gave the rider-waite to my younger sister. I knew this was my deck the moment I seen it, it is easy to read with and so amazing.

I put both of my tarot decks in the first picture and the This Might Hurt Tarot box looks so much better and it’s not, idk why it looks like that in the photos. The edging is something I did on the morgan-greer that really ampped up the deck, it looks way less old now than it did.

2. This Might Hurt Tarot
This is a self-publish by Isabella Rotman and the colorist Addison Duke and this deck is available on the creator’s site (her site also has a listing of where you can get it officially in countries that aren’t the US). The deck is not on card stock, it’s actually on art paper, it’s matte, and very thick. I actually can’t hold this deck fully length wise because of the thickness, which is fine because it will be more durable, and I shuffle it in sections anyway. This is another one that I knew from the minute I seen it on reddit it was it.

The art is this beautiful cartoon style, some call it a comic style but it is not what I would use to describe it, but the creator does make comics so. The colors are beautiful and it’s and updated, modern, more lgbt+, and more diversity. The deck has holographic black edging, but does also come in holographic pearl. I did jump at this deck sooner than I think I would have because the creator said this print (6th) had the original colors, and that they were going to do things differently after this print. While that is probably a good thing, this is what I fell for, so this is the one I wanted.

The pictures are of the same cards as the morgan-greer, just for comparison. Now, this is where we talk about lenormad, so the creator is Isabella is working with the same colorist Addison on making a this might hurt lenormad deck, and there are already some pictures on Isabella’s IG. I am already in love with this, and I am going to wait for this deck. The other decks for lenormad I had been interested in have been out of print, so while it is possible to get them, I don’t even love them as much as this one anyways.

3. X1999 Clamp Tarot
This deck is based off of Clamp’s art from their various manga series, and was a limited run, I bought it years ago on ebay, because I thought omg Manga and Tarot what a great idea. It wasn’t a great idea, because the pictures don’t follow any tarot anything, besides the names on the cards. In fact, if I were to see this today I would not buy it. I don’t think it is a readable deck, and it’s way too long, and the card stock is weird. The finish is shiny, and the box is so cheap.

I’m not sure if this was official product, but it was made in China. Considering this deck is so rare, and out of print, so I am keeping it as a collectable, but it’s won’t be one I work with. I did edge this deck in black, because I wanted practice before I did it to my morgan-greer deck. I also pictured the same cards as I did before with the other two tarot decks.

Now with the oracle decks.

4. The Universe Has Your Back
The first two photos are of this deck and the next one Spirit Junkie, because the creator is the same on both decks, Gabrielle Bernstein, with the artist also being the same Micaela Ezra. They are both these oversized decks, matte finish, thick, and by Hay House. This is affirmation deck, it goes well with self-care. Despite the size and my small hands I can do my version of the overhand shuffle. The cards have the beautiful watercolor and doddles and/or geometrical symbols.

5. Spirit Junkie
This is like above an affirmation deck, and is in my opinion helpful for self-care. The art style is very similar, to the point you put them together and not notice a difference if they had the same backs, but even them are so similar. Which is great, and I like that about that. I also wouldn’t put them together because that would make it so hard to shuffle though lol.

Side note, make sure you are if you choose to buy these decks buy them from the creators, because especially Spirit Junkie is heavily counterfeited, I would know because the first time I picked this deck up in a actual store I got a fake (and it cost more than the real one!). Make sure you are buying from reputable places, like the publishable, amazon (amazon does have fakes so double check), etc. Also make sure their is not any QR codes on it (some indie decks do have this, supposedly I’ve never seen it though), and that you see the publisher is on there. It’s crazy because I had been really careful online, but I never thought I would need to be offline.

6. Moonology Manifestation
This is another Hay House deck, matte thick card stock, and oversized. I do have to riffle shuffle this, which makes me sad but it is what it is. The creator is Yasmin Boland and the artist is Lori Menna. This is a beautiful spacey cosmic, this is a manifestation moon & astrology deck. I haven’t dived into the guidebook yet, but it’s easy to understand without that. I love the messages of these cards, you can also use them for timing but I have not done that.

7. The Hero’s Journey
This is a Blue Angel/Llewellyn deck, which was surprising to me because the format and everything cardstock, etc was almost exactly like the the Moonology Manifestation cards. The creator is Kelly Sullivan Walden and the artist is Rassouli. The art is a very surreal manipulation style, it reminds me of surrealism. I would call this a deck about personal growth, and enlightenment. This is another one that I haven’t dived into the guidebook yet.

I put paper in the box to keep the deck from moving around, not a fan of the box being better than the deck tbh.

8. The Scared Creators
I knew I would love this deck the minute I seen it, it’s another Hay House deck and the creator is Chris-Anne. These are the standard tarot size, rose petal finish, and sturdy thickness but not as thick as the other Hay House decks. I love this card stock, and the cards have these wonderful watercolor, the designs, etc. I have already studied the guide book, and it’s so expansive. I think while the words on the cards are good, if you have this deck studying the guide is a must.

9. Rebel Deck
This is a self-published (there is a website & it is on amazon) deck by the creator Shannon Gomez, it’s a spicy deck that tells it like it is. The card stock is thin, smooth, and easy for me to hold and shuffle. I love it. This deck will cuss at you, probably because you need it to, it is blunt and to the point, and it will call you out on your shit, so don’t get it if that is not something you are into. There is no guide book, there doesn’t need to be, and the deck has messages on both sides.

10. Shamanic Healing
This deck is by Schiffer and the creator is Michelle A. Motuzas who has a background in Shamanistic studies, they are dark cards with a sketch like art, they are thicker than the scared creator, might be as thick as the first two oracle decks, but are shorter than the regular tarot card size, and only some what wider. It has a nice smooth finish, that loves fingerprints tbh. The edging is gold and shiny. The deck is all about healing and wisdom, and the guide book supports that, and I have messed with the guide book and do plan on studying it but that hasn’t happened yet.

I don’t know if the fingerprint would be a turn off for me if I knew it before, but I love this deck so I deal with it now, but it would make me at least second guess other decks because it is very annoying.

11. Time Will Tell
The first two photos are of this deck and the next one Who?, because the creator is the same on both decks and that Vlovecrystals, she self-publishes and her shop is on Esty. They are a nice thin card stock, that is shiny smooth, and it has a waxy feel to the cards, which is fine for me, but is of note because some people don’t care for that. These cards are used for timing. I love the card stock it’s easy for me to shuffle, and the theme of the cards make it so useful.

12. Who?
So, knowing the card stock and creator is the same as above, so therefore I love them. The Who deck is for describing a person, and so it’s very useful, since tarot readings and other oracles can’t do that. This is a a creator who I am 100% buying more from in the future.