Playing Card Oracles; any advice for first timer?

Le Fanu

Im very new to Oracles. Never really bothered with them before, but sense I could get into them. I have the Playing Card Oracles (by Ana Cortez and CJ Freeman) by US Games which I have just got and - what a gamble! - I bought it knowing nothing (not even checking out images here) and when I opened it up, I loved it! Intuition again!

Id love to hear from anyone who uses it, who likes it and how to bring the best out of it. Do you use the spreads in LWB or pluck cards out to supplement other readings?

It has an interesting atmosphere this deck. It attracts me; the strangeness draws me in...

I also bought the Paracelsus Oracle (lo Scarabeo)and can´t find anything about that here on AT. Any links either to the net or to previous threads would be greatly appreciated.
 

HearthCricket

Funky deck, isn't it? I love it! I have used it on its own and actually with the Bohemian Gothic, as well. There is also a larger book to go with it. I love the quirkiness to it and its dark humour. Actually, it goes nicely with the Fanastical Tarot, as well. Or sometimes I just pull out 2 or 3 cards from it and read from that.

As for the Paracelsus, I haven't got that one, but I do have the Nostradamus, which I love to pieces! Give that one a try! :)
 

6 Haunted Days

Le Fanu said:
Im very new to Oracles. Never really bothered with them before, but sense I could get into them. I have the Playing Card Oracles (by Ana Cortez and CJ Freeman) by US Games which I have just got and - what a gamble! - I bought it knowing nothing (not even checking out images here) and when I opened it up, I loved it! Intuition again!

Id love to hear from anyone who uses it, who likes it and how to bring the best out of it. Do you use the spreads in LWB or pluck cards out to supplement other readings?

It has an interesting atmosphere this deck. It attracts me; the strangeness draws me in...

I also bought the Paracelsus Oracle (lo Scarabeo)and can´t find anything about that here on AT. Any links either to the net or to previous threads would be greatly appreciated.

I've used this deck and system over a year, it's a wonderfully mystical way to read PC's.

There are a few threads on AT here, do a search. You'll get most of your questions answered! Also Ana has her own forum for this deck, book, system. You can take a course on learning her system from her.....pricey though.
 

Le Fanu

Thanks for that. I already found one thread whilst meandering through old ones... I see it was quite a craze here on AT at the the end of 2005!

It seems to me such a vivid deck. How essential do you think the book is 6HD? Im tempted to skip the book on this one and just train the intuition...

You know it reminds me of the illustrations for Susannah Clark´s book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. You must know this book about 19th Century English Magick, being ( I see from your profile) into high Victoriana. The same wispiness and oddness. Im sure they were inspired by this book. Positively certain. That´s partly why I like them...
 

lark

You should definitly not skip the book, very useful spreads in there for actually using the deck in a very directed manner.
This deck gives me amazingly accurate readings and is (besides the Lenormand) the best deck for questions of timing.

P.S. Sorry if I sound bossy...:)
 

Teacups

Amazon kept recommending these for me, and I finally bought the deck (it isn't here yet) but I know I need the book to make them work. Prolly could use the book and any ordinary playing card deck, correct? so the book is the heart of it. I requested a long time ago for this oracle to be included on AT's list of decks, but since 6HD has used them for over a year, would it be possible for her (hint, hint) to do a review? now that the deck is finally listed with some pics, there isn't much of a review. Amazon's reviews are by people whom I don't necessarily know how much they know...and the one dissenting voice is because they're "ugly"... whew, that's 'deep'.... so, I'm anxious to read this thread and learn what I can
 

Le Fanu

Well, if I make any headway with them, Id be happy to write a review, but Im a long way off that point right now seeing as Im only just getting acquainted with them. But, presumably, to write a review, one has to have considerable familiarity, practice and to have researched the product well; i.e to have read any accompanying book :) But Im not going to order anything off amazon right now. But definitely later. Im doing the IDS with Vieville and this involves not getting drawn into to other conflicting systems! But that´s until the end of this month for me. Plus I see amazon say it takes three weeks to arrive anyway..

We´ll see.....
 

6 Haunted Days

Le Fanu said:
Thanks for that. I already found one thread whilst meandering through old ones... I see it was quite a craze here on AT at the the end of 2005!

It seems to me such a vivid deck. How essential do you think the book is 6HD? Im tempted to skip the book on this one and just train the intuition...

You know it reminds me of the illustrations for Susannah Clark´s book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. You must know this book about 19th Century English Magick, being ( I see from your profile) into high Victoriana. The same wispiness and oddness. Im sure they were inspired by this book. Positively certain. That´s partly why I like them...

IMO the book is very essential, that is if you want to read PC's with her system. It's an awesome book....the stories, insights and magic is fantastic! But of course if you want to read her deck with another system, nothing stopping you! And just using intuition if that's your thing....have at it! But seriously, you can't go wrong with the book....it's incredible.

And yes, JS&MN is in my opinion the best novel in 50 years!! I adore, worship and am in awe of that book! I've read it at least 6x so far, and also collect all the many different editions :) I'm excited yet apprehensive about the movie being done of the book.....hella lot to live up to! As far as the cards being inspired by the book....I don't think so, as in Ana's book she tells the story behind those gorgeous images and they're her father's illustrations he's been working on for like 30 years. Another reason to get the book...awesome back stories to her system and the cards ;)

asphodel said:
Amazon kept recommending these for me, and I finally bought the deck (it isn't here yet) but I know I need the book to make them work. Prolly could use the book and any ordinary playing card deck, correct? so the book is the heart of it. I requested a long time ago for this oracle to be included on AT's list of decks, but since 6HD has used them for over a year, would it be possible for her (hint, hint) to do a review? now that the deck is finally listed with some pics, there isn't much of a review. Amazon's reviews are by people whom I don't necessarily know how much they know...and the one dissenting voice is because they're "ugly"... whew, that's 'deep'.... so, I'm anxious to read this thread and learn what I can

I have written a review for the deck/book on Amazon! Witch in the Hollow Hill is me :D
 

Teacups

AH HA! thanks 6HD, now I know which review to actually give weight to-- yay! As I said, all reveiws are very high 5/5 except one (why is it there's ALWAYS one person who's gotta give that 1 star review?) so COOL! Maybe Solandia will publish your review here?! ? (hint-hint, Solandia!)


Uh, 6HD, to quote your review on Amazon:
"Some decks and ideas just jump out at you and demand you have them. This is one of them (rare for me!). "

But, to check out the list of decks in your collection, I counted 150 just Tarot, not even including Oracles..... so how would you compare the playing card oracle to the rest of the decks you own? Would you say it's on the short list, do you use it .... frequently, or sometimes or never... was it one of the pretty new decks that went right back in the box after 2 days...? Honestly, seriously, how does it stack up?
 

6 Haunted Days

asphodel said:
AH HA! thanks 6HD, now I know which review to actually give weight to-- yay! As I said, all reveiws are very high 5/5 except one (why is it there's ALWAYS one person who's gotta give that 1 star review?) so COOL! Maybe Solandia will publish your review here?! ? (hint-hint, Solandia!)


Uh, 6HD, to quote your review on Amazon:
"Some decks and ideas just jump out at you and demand you have them. This is one of them (rare for me!). "

But, to check out the list of decks in your collection, I counted 150 just Tarot, not even including Oracles..... so how would you compare the playing card oracle to the rest of the decks you own? Would you say it's on the short list, do you use it .... frequently, or sometimes or never... was it one of the pretty new decks that went right back in the box after 2 days...? Honestly, seriously, how does it stack up?

Nope I've used it heavily since I got it a year ago, it's the main deck I use after any Tarot decks. As far as my collection, the vast majority of those didn't 'demand" to be bought.....a must have if you will. Those are/were the rare ones. I've been reading and collecting 21 years....so many times decks I just want, cuz I love collecting! But it's not a burning need.

Playing Card Oracles was one of those immense love at first sight, a deck and book that deepened and opened up the world of dinvination for me. It's a rare and unique thing, imo anyways.