Doreen Virtue - positive or just too fluffy?

Other than my RW deck of the 70s, Doreen's Healing with the Angels was my first deck... I admit, I used it, and found the positive messages gentle at a time when I must have wanted gentle. I still have it but am ready to let it go....

I do understand about love and Light. It is how many people, including myself, desire to be in the world... I read Doreen's Lightworker's Way book, many years ago, though, and despite getting some nice moments from it, was left with some disappointment re the judgemental aspect that I felt issuing forth through it's pages...

In a nutshell, though, if you are comfortable working with Doreen's cards, then they are for you, regardless of what people say about fluffiness. Such things very personal, and only you know what is right for you... There are, too, many, many fans of Doreen out there. Many blessings to you.

Healing with the Angels was my first deck also...even before I knew what oracles were. I don't even remember why I bought it. I love that deck. It may not have "negative" cards in the deck but if you use reversals it will give you a heads up on things you need to work on and such.

As for Doreen herself. I listened to her on hayhouse a few times and she irritates me. LOL...but ya know what, to each their own. We get things from all different places.

On the other hand I loved listening to her husband Dr. Steven Farmer.

MsRubyRain said:

Healing with the Angels was my first deck also...even before I knew what oracles were. I don't even remember why I bought it. I love that deck. It may not have "negative" cards in the deck but if you use reversals it will give you a heads up on things you need to work on and such.

As for Doreen herself. I listened to her on hayhouse a few times and she irritates me. LOL...but ya know what, to each their own. We get things from all different places.

On the other hand I loved listening to her husband Dr. Steven Farmer.

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Wow, I had no idea she was married to Steven Farmer! Makes sense - both spiritual writers with oracle decks - he is the same guy who has the Earth Magic oracle deck & book right?

I don't mind Doreen herself, I have read a few of her books - I enjoyed Angel Medicine & her Ascended Masters book . I watch her on youtube sometimes too.

Back to the the topic - I suppose her decks are a little fluffy - but there are definately times when I need that. They are quite good to turn to if you are feeling down - probably better than any other deck. I think she puts quite alot of thought into the messages of her decks

I own several of Doreen's decks, and whilst I agree they are more 'sugary-sweet' than direct, that is exactly what some folk need to help move forward at a given point, or points, in time.

Buying a deck is a bit like purchasing a car...... we all have different tastes, circumstances, and requirements.

A visit to your local ‘New Age’ outlet will probably reveal a surprisingly large and diverse range of Oracle (including Tarot) cards. For a customer, these can present a bewildering choice, firstly between the Oracle and Tarot decks, and secondly which of the many options to ultimately choose.

For those customers that have opted for a non-tarot oracle, they will need to ponder between which of those on offer will be best for their needs. With Oracle card decks coming in all shapes and sizes, different card counts, typically in the range of 25 to 44 cards. Some are wordless, some have keywords, other a little 'message'. Some come in a huge box, others in a little packet (remember it is the cards, not the box, that counts here). Currently, the majority of available decks are themed around a given subject for example, ‘Angels’, ‘Fairies’, ‘Dolphins’, or some other relevant theme. Some authors produce a couple of new decks each year and thus have a large variation across these themes.

As a retailer, and now publisher, I am aware of customers, who after that initial excitement, found that themselves feeling a little frustrated after eagerly thumbing through their new deck just to find out that one or more cards ‘did not fit’ somehow, or seemed rather inappropriate for their personal beliefs and/or purposes. Maybe they were impressed by the artwork, but phases or messages on the cards ‘just got in the way’. Or even that they loved the cards, but found the 'book' disagreeing with their own instinct.

Like buying a car, good investigation is required, to match up the type of deck you are seeking to what is on the market today. There is a lot to be said in having two or more decks..... then depending on how you feel, you select the deck that you intuitionally feel is right for you to use at that moment.

Luckily there is a huge variation of decks out there........ and if unsure, leave off buying until you are sure. The right deck will find you soon

Certainly there is a time and place for the inspiring, feel-good message of hope and positive thinking in everyone's lives. It is, occasionally, something we all need. However, it can't be the only type of message if we ever want to stand a chance of growing.

Looking back on every hero myth (which teach the growth of the human spirit), they all pretty much follow the same path rather like the Major Arcana with both ups and downs. The Gods, Angels, Elements, Spirits etc test the human, they never hold his hand and shield him from all discomfort or pain.

The fluffy, feel-good issue with the Virtue decks/books/CDs/DVDs/workshops/podcasts/videos etc becomes a problem if someone relies upon the same to shield them from reality. The fact that both Ms Virtue and Mr Farmer (her 4th ex husband) both received their PhDs which they rely so heavily upon for credence from known degree mills (Madison - where Farmer obtained his stopped its post grad program in 2005 to become accredited!!!) causes alarm bells to ring for me and backs up the fact that anyone with a good understanding of psychology (which one would expect from a Dr of that area) would know that there has to be balance and truth, not just the sweet and nice.

There comes a time when every one of us, although we may want a nice, happy message to make us feel better, actually NEEDs to face the truth in order to find our own inner strength which perhaps we didn't know we had. We will fail the test every time if we constantly rely on feeling good as an indicator of success or achievement. Every one of us, like the hero in the myth, at some point in our life has to face a difficulty knowing there is seemingly no chance of success, no help and all seems hopeless because only then can we release all the baggage to find that TRUE inner growth, strength and wisdom.

The tarot has survived hundreds of years despite censure because it is honest, somehow, I doubt the Virtue productions will do the same.

Milfoil said:

Certainly there is a time and place for the inspiring, feel-good message of hope and positive thinking in everyone's lives. It is, occasionally, something we all need. However, it can't be the only type of message if we ever want to stand a chance of growing.

Looking back on every hero myth (which teach the growth of the human spirit), they all pretty much follow the same path rather like the Major Arcana with both ups and downs. The Gods, Angels, Elements, Spirits etc test the human, they never hold his hand and shield him from all discomfort or pain.

The fluffy, feel-good issue with the Virtue decks/books/CDs/DVDs/workshops/podcasts/videos etc becomes a problem if someone relies upon the same to shield them from reality. The fact that both Ms Virtue and Mr Farmer (her 4th ex husband) both received their PhDs which they rely so heavily upon for credence from known degree mills (Madison - where Farmer obtained his stopped its post grad program in 2005 to become accredited!!!) causes alarm bells to ring for me and backs up the fact that anyone with a good understanding of psychology (which one would expect from a Dr of that area) would know that there has to be balance and truth, not just the sweet and nice.

There comes a time when every one of us, although we may want a nice, happy message to make us feel better, actually NEEDs to face the truth in order to find our own inner strength which perhaps we didn't know we had. We will fail the test every time if we constantly rely on feeling good as an indicator of success or achievement. Every one of us, like the hero in the myth, at some point in our life has to face a difficulty knowing there is seemingly no chance of success, no help and all seems hopeless because only then can we release all the baggage to find that TRUE inner growth, strength and wisdom.

The tarot has survived hundreds of years despite censure because it is honest, somehow, I doubt the Virtue productions will do the same.

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I have to note my agreement here... Doreen's credentials are slung rather like beacons on items, and yet her works do tend to follow the "if you ask your angels for help, all will be fine" approach... In reality, we have, by now, come to the realisation that Life doesn't always work like that. If Doreens' works don't last the distance, I won't pretend to be dismayed, because they don't tend to challenge people, or even ask them to look honestly at the situation at hand, imho...

But, yes, in the end, personal taste rules.....

I kind of avoided Doreen Virtue oracles for many years but I decided to get one because I realized there is nothing wrong with wanting to be cheered up. Since I tend to be depressed and negative I thought it'd be a good idea. Of the lot I picked Daily Guidance from Your Angels Oracle Cards because the art is the most consistent (meaning 99% of the cards are pretty) and it does what I wanted to do: get a daily message. I pick a card a day with my daily reading and I keep it close to me all day long, I ponder about the message and I feel better just to know there are guides watching over me. I never use it to make other readings during the day though.

In other words, in certain moments it's good to be cheered up, in other moments it's good to face facts and be hit with the sledgehammer of reality.

Sometimes when it feels like all you are getting is torrential rain and dismal days, all you want or need is a bit of warming sunshine. Those are the days when it is good to be able to reach for a Doreen Virtue deck.

It's a bit like chocolate cake. No-one would ever say that you should live on chocolate cake and nothing else, but there is no harm in a piece every now and then if it makes you feel better.

eye of the beholder, I know

I thought I would give it a try and had one, but wound up seeing it not as an oracle, but more like a positive affirmation deck. I sold it because it just wasn't working for me, BUT I DO see why people are drawn to her decks. If someone needs a hug or something positive and comforting, I see where they get it from her decks. It just didn't give me the insight or perspective I was personally looking for.

permission to rant?

What drives me mad about these decks is that I have noticed that increasingly, when you go to bookshops and you go to the "Spiritualities" section/ Esoteric/whatever, and you're looking for tarot cards, it's these kitschy little airbrushed Doreen Virtue boxes that you find.

I am currently agog in the UK.

I am - temporarily - in the 2nd biggest city and I have been to all the bookshops there are and every single shop has at least a dozen DV decks and (usually) not one single tarot deck. No RWS or Thoth in sight.

These deck are becoming monopolisingly synonymous with "Spirituality". They are big sellers and so shops must think "why bother with tarot decks"? Or rather, a few years hence, these decks will simply be seen as tarot decks. No questions asked.

We are all entitled to our opinion and I would like to think that I am a very respectful and tolerant person but these decks are taking over our esoteric sections and one day we'll wake up and there'll be nothing but these. And we'll wonder what happened.

I actually feel fortunate that I live in a European city which has smaller, old-fashioned shops, a city where you can buy tarot decks in tobaccanists, pokey little bookshops and other traditional shops, and - lucky for us - DV decks haven't been translated into that language so, for the moment, I feel we are spared. The Thoths, RWS and Marseilles and other treasures can rest in peace on their shelves. The DV spiritual tsunami has not yet reached our shores.

Oh but honestly, if I can just let rip for a few seconds and say how I think these decks are evil and will be the death of all stimulating spiritual thinking & self-knowledge. "Fluffiness" is the least of our worries.

Why deal with life when you can have a watery-eyed unicorn blinking lovingly at you? Why think if you can have an angel goddess guide telling you she loves you and everything will be ok?

I can think of no moment in my life when I might want to be cheered up by one of these decks. Maybe, if one day, I'm trapped in a plummeting elevator and need one of these DV lovefest decks to lift me up & make me feel that "it's not that bad", I'll let you know.

Just my opinion. There. I feel better.