The Oracle Tarot by Lucy Cavendish

Bringing the mystical tradition of Tarot into the 21st century, The Oracle Tarot by Lucy Cavendish is a bright, deck that exudes "girl power".

Some people have never delved into the mysterious and profound world of Tarot precisely because of cards like Death, The Devil, and The Tower. If you're new to the Tarot and find that to be true for you, rest assured that there are no frightening images or meanings to be found in this deck.

Death becomes Change in The Oracle Tarot and The Devil is re-named Bondage.  Change features a nude, winged woman emerging from a cocoon, with the keywords Release the Past. Although upbeat and feminine, this is not a "fluff" deck. If you're seeking personal insights for growth and transformation, outmoded or negative thinking patterns will be challenged by the messages in these cards.

And if you find Court Card problematic, Ms. Cavendish has you covered--because there are none in this deck!

The juicy brush strokes of artist Melinda Ayre adds so much pizzazz to the cards. It reminds me of the vibrant images from the movie What Dreams May Come, where landscapes come alive as an oil painting.

The thick, glossy cards measure 5.50 x 3.84 inches and are accompanied by a 69 page instruction booklet with a few pages in the back expressly for notes. Each card contains a key word or words written in white on the outer edges of the image. The backs of the cards are a gorgeous mix of blues and greens, with golden stars in a diagonal swathe.

It's always nice to see a deck creator take so much time and care with the Minor Arcana--something that often seems like a mere afterthought in some decks. But in The Oracle Tarot, the Minors are bristling with movement and the inventive use of suit symbols.

For example, the 9 of Coins depicts a smartly dressed woman in profile, striding downhill. Her violet dress features four yellow disks on the hem, her purse clasp is a yellow disk, two are on her shoe straps, one is an earring, and one is the top of her hat (nine total). The strings that flow from her hat turn into dollar signs, and the keyword of this card is Good Fortune.

The 6 of Wands shows a woman blowing out six candles on a birthday cake, and the keywords are Wisdom of Experience. For the 8 of Swords, a white-haired woman in a green dress sits before a steaming cup of soup. Eight swords are painted on the borders of the image, and the keywords are Caring for Yourself.

One of my favorite cards in The Oracle Tarot is The Chariot, which shows a woman clad in a crimson dress and high heels, one hand on a shopping cart and the other formed into a pumping fist. She sports an impish smile, as well as a heart tattoo on her upper arm. The keywords for this card are The Inspired Warrior.

With fresh, empowering images, this deck inspires, illuminates, and expands self-knowing. I admit, I found the images of perky breasts and nude women off-putting at first, but after giving The Oracle Tarot a chance, I soon realized that this was a great deck to turn to when I needed a shot in the arm. I think this would be a great deck for girls, as well as anyone wanting to celebrate the unique gifts of the feminine spirit.

To see 10 images from this deck, click here.

© Janet Boyer

Comments

[Tarot Source]

Thank you for explaining the number of cards - I couldn't figure out what would be missing, so wondered if this was even a tarot deck. Haven't bothered with it for this reason, but may think again now.

[Janet]

You're most welcome! It is, indeed, a bona fide deck (if you consider a court-less deck "real" Tarot!). :o)

Janet

[ria stine]

I just LOVE this deck. Its so positive, but not in a pollyanna way, more an outlook that all life events are opportunities, no matter how dire some might think it. There is always lemonade to be made when life hands you lemons. And by people who think that way, the traditional tarot is always re-interpreted as in "the death card is usually not really death, but transformation", etc.. so why not put the real meaning right on the card... well Lucy Cavendish has done it! And beautiful fun artwork. I bought it for my teenage daughter, though I use it too when I can find it around.

[JanetBoyer]

Isn't that a fun deck, Ria?

Thanks for stopping by The Tarot Channel and sharing your experience with the Oracle Tarot!

Janet