Deck by Lucy Cavendish
© 2003

Lucy Cavendish is one of my favorites among oracle card creators!  She has created other lovely and interesting works such as "Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle," "Oracle of the Dragonfae," and the "Magical Spell Cards."

The "Oracle Tarot" adds a revitalizing and fresh perspective to the world of Tarot!  This deck applies a useful and interesting spin on the Tarot by taking out the court cards.  For those readers or Tarot newbies who always feel confused by the court cards, this deck will likely be appealing.  The idea for the Oracle Tarot was to create an uplifting, positive, upbeat, and useful Tarot deck that would be easy and enjoyable for anyone to use.  I think this goal was accomplished quite nicely!  Some may argue that it cannot be a true Tarot without the court cards, but just as we have so many other non-traditional decks on the market today -- why not a Tarot deck without those puzzling, confusing court cards!?  I like the idea, even though I am a Tarot practitioner who upholds the tradition of Tarot.  Just because I believe in tarot traditions doesn't mean I can't or won't open my mind to something that's a little bit different or untraditional.  Sometimes "thinking outside the box" is how we find our most revealing answers to our toughest questions and challenges!

Although there is some nudity in the cards, as typical of many Tarot decks, the art of this deck seems to just flow, and nothing here would likely be perceived as "shocking" to even the more sensitive seeker.  In fact, for the cards in which there is nudity, it's presented more like a mannequin form or a body suit rather than real nudity.  This is a deck that I will definitely turn to as another alternative for my more sensitive clientele. The cards are colorful and welcoming, and for the seekers who want that "happy, bright" deck with nothing scary or intimidating, the Oracle Tarot works well in fulfilling that request!

The Oracle Tarot has a very feminine feeling to it.  It's very positive and upbeat, but it's not a "fluffy" sort of deck either.  Reversals are not mentioned in the accompanying booklet's interpretations, but as with most decks, you can still make the use of reversals your own personal choice.  The 69-page booklet is a well-written, inspirational guide which can be effectively used to get one to really thinking.  The simple art style reminds me of colorful pictures that an elementary school child would draw.  And what I like about this is that it takes away the complexities to help one tune in to her or his inner child.  Sometimes that's exactly what we need to do!  As adults, we forget about that "child" within us that carries so much wisdom if we would only listen to that part of ourselves more often.

One might think that taking out the court cards from this Tarot deck would make it less effective, but for this particular deck, I think the whole concepts of Tarot actually become even more effective -- especially for those who struggle with readings because of those 16 complicated court cards in a traditional deck.  As an experienced reader, I have overcome the intimidation of the court cards, and I don't think twice when they appear in a reading. They are smooth for me after much experience in my Tarot practice, but even so, I can't say they are my favorite cards either!  And so I liked this concept for the Oracle Tarot, which I think is quite effective and useful for Tarot readings.

It's always exciting to do a reading with a brand new set of cards, and I was quite impressed with the information I gained from a reading with these cards.  I brought a troublesome question to these cards -- something related to a situation that is near and dear to me, but that an outside force seems to always want to interfere with or create negative challenges in the situation.  It was a situation where I had come to feel that Justice wasn't going to be rendered, and I was ready to throw my hands up with the belief that there was nothing else I could do about it.  Ah, but these cards told me differently!  The card of Tradition (which is the Hierophant in traditional decks) came up, and in the accompanying booklet on page 56, it tells us this:

They say it's the way the world is -- the established order, what most folks accept as some kind of natural order, a fait accompli -- about which there's nothing you can do.  These are the sorts of conservative messages you'll be hearing during this time -- so remember, no knee-jerk reactions.  Simply listen, and wonder.  Is this really true?  Is there a best way, a right order, a code that's untouchable in its perfection?  When working on your own personal code of ethics, you would do well to listen to the wisdom of others. Be respectful.  Then, without making a big noise about it, choose what works for you. Allow others to know what is right for them:  this is your time to learn what you truly feel to be the best way for your to walk through this world.

The cards are made from a thick cardstock.  They are laminated with a glossy coating -- so yes, these are cards that can be fairly "sticky" when you first open them up and start using them.  A lot of that stickiness does wear off after a little bit of use so that they don't continue to stick together when shuffling.  The cards measure 5.50" x 3.84."  They come in a sturdy box which also has a glossy coating over it.  Each card has a key word or phrase on it.  The backs of the cards have shimmering golden stars on a background of green and blue tones.  The backs are not truly "reversible," but as mentioned, it's one's personal choice to use reversals or not.  The back of the cards being reversible would mean that you could not tell if the front of the card was upright or reversed.  In the case of these cards, you can tell by the arrangement of the stars on the back whether the card would be upright or reversed.  Yet in the same token, it's not going to be immediately obvious either.  The backs of the cards in a deck, whether created in a reversible style or not, has never hindered me from using reversals in a Tarot deck.

The Oracle Tarot is also a great tool for meditation purposes as well.  I love to look at the cards and think of childhood memories associated with the picture.  The Hanged Man (pictured above) is a card I like, because it literally took me on a journey back to childhood days and teeter totters.  When I read the keywords on the card -- suspense, waiting -- it definitely makes sense, and I had to chuckle at the teeter totter!  When you are sitting at the top of that teeter totter, you are in suspense to see if the person on the other side is going to jump off and let you fall . . . or whether they are going to play fairly and cooperatively work for balance with you.  Real life can be like that teeter totter as we work to create and maintain balance in our lives.  We don't always know what the next person is going to do, but we do at least need to know what we are going to do.  While we can't be responsible for the choices and actions of others, we are responsible for our own choices and actions.

Velvet Angel

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Number of Cards in Deck: 64

Size of Cards:  5.50" x 3.84"

Included with deck: A 69-page booklet.  Cards and booklet packaged in a sturdy, attractive box.

Major Arcana:
Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers,
Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, Hanged Man,
Change, Temperance, Bondage, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, World

Suit Names:  Cups, Coins, Swords, Wands

Court Cards:  No court cards

Back Design of Cards:

ORACLE TAROT