The Earthcraft Oracle

The Earthcraft Oracle is a pretty, pretty deck. It feels condescending to write that because it is much more than its appearance. But, when I look at the cards that is the first thing that comes to mind. I love the artwork. If my artistic abilities were better this is the type of artwork I would create. So much so that it has inspired me to draw again. But more on that later. This is a brightly coloured, inclusive, nature-inspired deck that can be used in so many ways. Above all else though, for me, this deck is all about connection – connection to the Earth, connection to the world around us, and connection with ourselves.

The Earthcraft Oracle Cards

The Earthcraft Oracle is a 44 card oracle deck set to inspire us to recognise and reconnect with the notion that “Mother Earth is our Sacred Home.” Together the cards and the book share that message. However, for me this deck is magical because it has encouraged me to reconnect with all aspects of myself. Two things used to be a big part of my life, sitting out in nature and being creative. Then, I let life get busy. I let an algorithm start to rule my life, and I started to lose sight of why I do what I do.

Then I pulled out The Earthcraft Oracle to review and, on the back of The Wandering Star Tarot review I did recently, I felt more and more called to return to my other forms of creative expression. I love words and writing in their usual forms but I also love to present them artistically. Every time I pull out this deck I want to draw, colour, and create and I think that is wonderful. Regardless of what a deck may aim to do, if it moves you in any way it is a special deck.

Will it have that impact on everyone – no, but that doesn’t lessen my experience. If you ever have a deck, or anything else for that matter, that others don’t relate to in the same way as you, never let that lessen your experience. Anything that makes us feel a connection in any way is to be treasured.

I hasten to add, The Earthcraft Oracle also did what it aimed to do. I recognise that its aim also influences my connection to this deck. Its message that “It has become common for us to seek higher realms while ignoring the world we live in,” and that “we are spiritual beings having a human existence, but we mustn’t forget to be present in the here and now,” very much aligns with my feelings of late. It is so tempting to ‘escape into spirituality’ when things become difficult but that misses the point. Plus it disregards all that is beautiful and wonderful and healing in the world around us.

This deck wants us to reconnect with the healing power of nature. While I was at university, (and afterwards), I read a lot of research about the effects of blue- and greenspace on our mental health. I included some of it in a personal essay I wrote called Stepping on Blue Periwinkles.

If you happen to have gone and read that essay you will know how much I rely on nature to help soothe me. Sitting in nature reminds me that I am part of something bigger, something resilient, something accepting, something incredible. It reminds me of the cyclic nature of things and that even in death life goes on. The Earthcraft Oracle is infused with these same messages.

I really feel there is something for everyone in this deck. If you want diversity it’s here. If you want a balanced deck that doesn’t view everything through a “Polyanna” lens, you’ll get that. Or, if you want comfort, reassurance, and suggestions on ways to move forward you’ll find that too.

The guidebook offers a lot. I’ll get to that soon. However, I find just staring at the cards, and looking at the colours and the details opens me up to so much. For example on the Soul Loss card, pictured above, the book dives into the impact of trauma, both major and accumulative, and reminds us to think back to times we felt and experienced joy without expectation. Then it offers a meditation.

When I look at the card I see the tears that pour from her eyes and rain down through her fingers. I also see the spirals within the bubbles and they look small, like it isn’t possible to find a way out. Then there’s the jellyfish. I have my own personal connection to jellyfish. A couple of times I have been kayaking and found myself surrounded by them. Watching their graceful and rhythmical movement induced sensations that are hard to define. Peaceful, dreamlike, and otherworldly are words that come to mind.

Yet, whilst I was aware they were deadly, today I became aware that the Australian box jellyfish is the most venomous creature on Earth. According to an article published by the University of Sydney, “Each box jellyfish carries enough venom to kill more than 60 humans. A single sting to a human will cause necrosis of the skin, excruciating pain and, if the dose of venom is large enough, cardiac arrest and death within minutes.” They are not the jellyfish I paddle with obviously or I wouldn’t be writing this now.

But it is that contrast I think of when I look at this card. What am I focusing on in the given moment? I can focus on the message the book conveys about finding the joy and beauty in the everyday as a way to overcome trauma, a sense of powerlessness and/or a loss of identity or I can focus in on the threats, the pain and the loss. Reality cannot be ignored but every situation in every moment is not going to cause you pain either. If you find yourself trapped in that loop though, the book suggests remembering a time when that wasn’t the case can help. For me it comes down to whether I am Will Smith in Seven Pounds or I am kayaking the Hawksbury River.

When I look at the Run with Wolves card the book Women Who Run With Wolves comes to mind. Therefore, for me personally, this card is about the stories we carry, share, and internalise and the impact they can have. The book gives it a different emphasis. It suggests the card is about questioning your relationships with others. The associate the card with a wolf pack and the reality that sometimes we need to be a lone wolf.

That’s what I love about all cards, tarot and oracle. We bring ourselves to them. When we layer and integrate our meanings with the books and the books meanings with ours then we create our own relationship with each card. This in turn adds meanings to other cards in our other decks. In this way decks talk to each other through us increasing our connection and understanding exponentially in the process.

If I could change anything with this deck it would be the Spirit of the North, South, East and West cards pictured below. I don’t relate to the titles because I don’t connect with the elemental associations given to the directions. However, I do connect with the artwork and the elements themselves. So, basically I just disregard the titles and move on. Although to be honest they do jar me a bit still. Maybe in time I won’t notice them at all. I hope that becomes the case here because my issue is only with the titles not the artwork.

In regards to the physical aspect of the cards, like most oracle decks, these are reasonably large. They measure approximately 9 x 13 cm. Nevertheless, since there are only 44 cards, they are still quite manageable.

The Earthcraft Oracle Book

The accompanying 111-paged book is more than adequate. It opens with ‘A Message from the Authors’ followed by an ‘Introduction,’ each of which familiarises you with the intent and motivation behind the deck. Actually, it opens with a contents page which I love. Such a simple thing but gee it can make working with the book so much easier.

In the card meaning section you’ll find that each divinatory meaning is followed by a practice. The practice may be a ritual, a meditation, an affirmation, or an exercise. For example, Accept your Gifts, pictured below, has four affirmations. Drought, also pictured below, has a ‘Water Spirit Ritual’ which involves water, white rose petals and salt. Medicine Woman has a ‘Tree Hug Meditation’ and Offering has a ‘Sound Offering’ exercise. Both of these cards are pictured below also. No card images are included in the book.

Spreads

Three spreads are included:

• One-Card Readings
  • Five suggested questions are included
• Three-Card Readings
  • There are five suggestions here too
• The Mountain Spread (6 cards)

At the risk of sounding like an annoying reel on repeat, this is a really attractive deck. But as the creators themselves are quick to point out, “[this] is more than a stack of pretty cards.” This deck has a message to share and it is one well worth listening to. “Mother Earth doesn’t care about your skin colour, language, social status, or where you grew up. She waits with open arms for anyone who is ready and willing to embrace her healing magic and wisdom.” The Earthcraft Oracle seeks to remind us that we are sacred souls that have magic within our being that when combined with Mother Earth, allows us to “become a vessel of pure manifestation, joy, love and vitality” and that’s a pretty great thing to be reminded of.

Oh, and did I mention it’s beautiful? It’s like holding a rainbow in your hands. I’ll wrap this up simply by saying, if you are looking for an oracle that connects to the guidance of Mother Earth and this is your aesthetic then you may well have found your new oracle deck.

Publishing Details

Deck Creators:

Juliet Diaz and Lorriane Anderson (authors) with art by Danielle Boodoo-Fortune

Pictured Version:

Published by Hay House in 2021

Websites/Socials:

Juliet Diaz – Instagram

Lorriane Anderson – Spirit Element website

Danielle Boodoo-Fortune website