Endora doesn't like me :(

[ana luisa]

For years, I have been toying with the idea of buying Madame Endora's Oracle. At the time, the price was a bit too high but after a long wait I finally bought it. It is here, in front of me but refuses to open up. I have NEVER had such a hermetic deck in my life. I love the art and the concept but, so far, Endora does not seem to be willing to talk. Should I keep trying, is there hope for this relationship ?

 

[MareSaturni]

I find the Endora to be a gorgeous deck, but like you I could never really communicate with it. It's not that it's hermetic to me, but the 'meanings' and 'imagery' seem to be a bit too... fantasy to me. As if it was a deck a character in a fantasy novel would use, not a deck meant for real life, so to speak.

So no, you are not alone. That said, I also think that when a deck challenges you, it's worth pushing a bit instead of giving up immediately. Think about what attracts you in this deck, and you may find a key to overcome this blockage.

If after a month or so of serious trial you still feel there's no connection, then it might be best to move on... or wait for another time. Often a deck that does not speak to you at first will do so in another moment of your life.

 

[Starshower]

My feelings precisely! Brilliantly put, Saturness! Yes - it's like a deck in a book or film, rather than for actual use in real life. Yet it does have an attraction ... sensationalism, for me? Perhaps I could put it in a story ...
I too don't feel it's hermetic or 'deep' in the way some symbolism-laden tarot decks are.
But it's black & it's eye-catching, and the cards evoke an immediate response.

I think I'll follow your advice & hang onto mine a bit longer ...

 

[ana luisa]

Thank you for the replies I really don't know how to put this but it feels like Im talking to a doll. With set phrases. My mind keep going And what else ? Nothing. I really don't need a lot of input from cards. I can read with cards like these
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/philosophers-stone-self-awareness/
or these:
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/soul-cards/

So, what is it about the Endora that stops me at the beginning of a reading ? Two hours ago I was reading about my health and asked what I should know about it. It gave me the Medusa. Basically, beware of jealous people . ?? What ? ??? I then had a look at the girl in the card. The "worms/snakes"in her head reminded me of an expression in Portuguese ("she's got worms in her head - meaning, she only thinks nonsense) So, I interpreted it as : your thoughts are poisoning you -stop thinking the worst. It's all in your head. Well, this messsage fit but it was SUCH an effort to get there; don't know if it's worth going on....

 

[MareSaturni]

Thank you for the replies I really don't know how to put this but it feels like Im talking to a doll. With set phrases. My mind keep going And what else ? Nothing. I really don't need a lot of input from cards.

Yes, I had this problem too. The messages were too... cardboard cutout for me. It seems the deck doesn't leave much room for your to explore, but also doesn't provide enough food for thought.

So, I interpreted it as : your thoughts are poisoning you -stop thinking the worst. It's all in your head. Well, this messsage fit but it was SUCH an effort to get there; don't know if it's worth going on....

It's hard to give an opinion, because I have had decks I read very easily with but that bored me to tears after a while, and decks I felt like I was squeezing my brain cells while using, and that became favourites because of the way they forced me to grow as a reader.

You could consider this deck as an exercise to your intuitive muscle. But it really depends on how you feel about it. When you look at the cards... do they make you warm or cold?
By warm I mean excited somehow or terribly sure there there must be something to it, although you cannot understand it. Cold is more like... indifferent, or like you are pushing too hard to see meaning where there's none.

This is what will tell you whether the deck is just another pretty set of pictures, or whether it's a tool meant to challenge you. And then you can decide whether it's worth pursuing or not.

 

[ana luisa]

You could consider this deck as an exercise to your intuitive muscle. But it really depends on how you feel about it. When you look at the cards... do they make you warm or cold?
By warm I mean excited somehow or terribly sure there there must be something to it, although you cannot understand it. Cold is more like... indifferent, or like you are pushing too had to see meaning where there's none.

GREAT explanation!! I couldn't have said it better ! I guess the deck leaves me "tepid". Not warm enough to make me want to dig in (like the Sweet Twilight) nor cold. It's almost cold. I think this is partly because I have had my eyes on this deck for so long that now, that I have it here, it isn't EXACTLY what I expected it to be... Oh, well, I'll try some readings and see if it gives me more. Besides, I feel I need to investigate a bit more on the Bestiality section which is the one that causes more trouble. Did you give up on yours ?

 

[MareSaturni]

I think this is partly because I have had my eyes on this deck for so long that now, that I have it here, it isn't EXACTLY what I expected it to be... Oh, well, I'll try some readings and see if it gives me more. Besides, I feel I need to investigate a bit more on the Bestiality section which is the one that causes more trouble. Did you give up on yours ?

You know, I also recall having wanted this deck for the longest time... and then being overwhelmed by its beauty when I got it, and eventually being rather bored/annoyed because I couldn't get much out of it. LOL!

I still own mine but I must confess it's in my "to be sold SOON" pile (specially now that I have decided to sell most of my collection). Hope this doesn't discourage you! But I tend to like my decks and systems with a juicier symbolism, and as pretty as the Endora is, it hasn't fulfilled this for me.

Now I really hope someone will come along and really enable you, because I feel I'm doing a terrible job here!

 

[Melia]

So, what is it about the Endora that stops me at the beginning of a reading ? Two hours ago I was reading about my health and asked what I should know about it. It gave me the Medusa. Basically, beware of jealous people . ?? What ? ??? I then had a look at the girl in the card. The "worms/snakes"in her head reminded me of an expression in Portuguese ("she's got worms in her head - meaning, she only thinks nonsense) So, I interpreted it as : your thoughts are poisoning you -stop thinking the worst. It's all in your head. Well, this messsage fit but it was SUCH an effort to get there; don't know if it's worth going on....

This is how I work with most of my decks - I look at the imagery, and what other cards surround it. The standard card meanings, or keywords if they are present, might be relevant OR they may not be.

 

[Amanda]

Try it with a standard tarot deck... do a short reading with the tarot and draw some oracle cards to clarify... it may help the deck 'open up' a bit more.

 

[ana luisa]

Try it with a standard tarot deck... do a short reading with the tarot and draw some oracle cards to clarify... it may help the deck 'open up' a bit more.

thank you for the tip ! Will try !