The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck

According to the notes I wrote when I first opened The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck I bought it to pair with The Antique Anatomy Tarot. To be honest I don’t remember that. But it’s what I wrote at the time so it must have been the case. Although, I don’t remember ever pairing the two until it came time to write this review either so I’m not sure what’s going on. All I do know is that I like this deck. I like it a lot.

The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck

And, while I might not remember what inspired me to combine them I’m glad I listened. They work so well together. The Antique Anatomy Tarot, for me, is about getting to the core of where you’re at so it feels very insular, whereas the 50-card Green Witch’s Oracle Deck connects you with the world around you. Therefore I find this a meaningful connection that moves beyond just the aesthetics.

This is the first time I have discussed deck pairings so I feel it must be relevant. The first thought that came to mind is that, in its own way, The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck also cuts straight to the core of things.

That isn’t to say this deck is harsh in any way. Quite the contrary. My first note was that The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck has a soothing energy and I really appreciate that.

I also appreciate Sara Richard’s artwork. It made me want to pull out a pencil and draw again. This suggests, on multiple levels, how readily this deck can draw you in.

While created as a tool to connect “you with the wisdom of nature and the enchanting realm of green witchcraft,” you don’t have to be a practising witch to understand the messages the cards have to share. Yes there are cards titled, Potion and Altar and Cauldron but these are still readily identifiable and relatable. I don’t have a space I call my altar but my desk and its surrounds serve a similar purpose. It might not be traditional but it is indeed a special space to me and I believe that’s what matters.

Furthermore, the keywords and the artwork bring the messages to life. I find that when laid out in a spread, the cards really speak to each other. In part, this is because of the recurrence of various elements. Let me give you an example.

Example

In the spread above I was initially drawn to the three cards that contain vessels – Cauldron (creation – opportunity – caring), Basil (prosperity – luck – love) and Salt (protection – banishing negativity). The message I received — focusing on loving the act of creation rather than the creation itself is the best way to protect your ideas from the negative self talk that can stop a project in its tracks. More generally, focusing on what you love can banish negativity. Very platitudinous, but easily overlooked.

Other repeat motifs that stood out in this spread are the bees, the herbs, and the flowers.

A comment on keywords

I have to admit that I’m generally not a fan of keywords because they can limit how I interpret a card. But since these don’t dominate the title space I don’t find them an issue.

Generally I still integrate the keywords into my interpretations but I don’t feel governed by them. I should note here that the photos make them seem hard to read but they are much clearer in person. So much so that I can still read them without my glasses.

Rather than looking at the cards in a spread or as pairings like I usually would, I’m going to discuss some individual cards because I feel this is a good way to point out some of the features of this deck.

Bird & Seeds

I see birds as messengers and so that is still going to come through for me. But what I love about both the Bird (freedom – opportunity) and Seeds (new ideas – hope – open-mindedness) cards is that she has included several types of each rather than a single example. Therefore, when I see these cards I’m reminded that opportunities and new ideas can come in many forms albeit not always in the way we expect. The inclusion of the two flightless birds on the Bird card brings that through pretty clearly.

Further, the vulture, another bird that I probably wouldn’t have considered if I was to draw a generic bird card, has so many interpretive possibilities also. “Pull apart old ideas” and “take advantage of what has been left behind by others, there is something there for you” both came to mind. So did the thought that just because others might not like the role you fulfil doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have value. Rather, it could be very important.

Under the Reflection heading in the guidebook, Arin Murphy-Hiscock writes, ‘Have you been struggling to change your mindset and learn something new?’ The choice of birds can definitely bring about a change in thinking.

Carnelian & Earthworm

The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck doesn’t have suits but it does have certain groupings. There’s crystals, insects, seasons, herbs, trees and their parts, tools, weather elements, and aspects of gardening. However, as the Earthworm card above shows, nothing is presented in isolation. Nor does anything feel like a random inclusion.

The addition of the clear quartz on the Earthworm (clarity – rumination) card helped me to connect with the idea of clarity. Without that I don’t know if I would have connected with that keyword at all. The book tells me that “it’s time to confront what troubles you. Consider breaking down big emotions into less-intimidating smaller chunks that are easier to digest and understand.” Having read it I can see it. But before that, seeing the clear quartz and connecting with its ability to help with focus and cutting through confusion helped me make sense of things.

Fruit & Walking Staff

Some cards also include runes. I’m drawn to runes so I like seeing them on cards. Albeit, the book doesn’t discuss them at all. They aren’t even named which I found a bit disappointing because they certainly align with the meanings. Unfortunately, if you weren’t familiar with runes you’d have to put in a bit of additional work to uncover this information.

The rune on Fruit is Sowilo, which is, like the keywords suggest, associated with achievement and success. The rune on the Walking Staff is Raidho. I like the extra layer the inclusion of this rune adds because in part it speaks of life as a journey. So its appearance here suggests being supported as we follow our path. That’s a nice energy.

Fog & Pine Tree

Now I spoke earlier about how the cards talk to each other. Here is another example. In the background on the Walking Staff you can see a path that on the Fog card is partially obscured. If they appeared together it would seem that you were being supported on your journey. Therefore, rather than worrying that you can’t see the full road ahead, you just need to take the next step and then the next and trust that you are going to arrive where you need to be when you need to be there. I think this is usually the case. It’s nice to be reminded though.

The pine tree, at the end of the path on the Walking Staff card is the reward for what the Pine Tree card suggests is our perseverance. The three pine trees suggest there are multiple paths as well. Or, maybe more appropriately, many stops along the way that are part of the journey and just as, if not more, important than the final destination.

Oak Tree & Roots

On the Oak Tree card I like that the seed is bigger than the tree. We always have way more potential than we realise. To step into our power we have to be willing to let our gifts be seen. I drew that from the Leo symbol on the acorn. This card is ripe with symbols. According to Celtic revival scholar and Arthurian Tarot creator, Caitlin Matthews, “The oak tree represents strength of character and endurance, and the Dara Knot [the Celtic symbol on the oak tree] channels this power into a visual emblem of rootedness.” I like that there are also falling leaves to show that things come in cycles and we don’t have to always feel brave and strong.

The Roots cards sums up The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck so well. The mushrooms, like the earthworms, represent this deck’s ability to help us break things down and make sense of the information we receive. For me the skulls suggest it also helps us tap into ancient and ancestral knowledge about the importance and guidance the natural world provides. This is a special deck. Thus this post has become much longer than I anticipated.

Physical aspects of The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck

While these cards are large, (9cm x 12.75cm), I enjoy the space around the images. But if you struggled with the size you could trim them easily enough. As you can see above there is space around the art on the card back as well so you wouldn’t chunk into either image, which is nice.

The matte cardstock is easy to shuffle in any manner although I find flipping through the deck can get a little unruly but not unmanageable. Fanning is a little clumpy but fine.

The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck Guidebook

The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck comes with a 128-paged guidebook written by Arin Murphy-Hiscock author of several witch-themed books including The Green Witch’s Garden, The Way of the Hedge Witch, Solitary Wicca for Life and The Hidden Meaning of Birds — A Spiritual Field Guide. So, it is clear that she is deeply passionate about this topic.

The book opens with an Introduction which encourages you to connect with the natural world and its many gifts. She also suggests creating connections between the cards, which occurs quite naturally. She adds that “While anyone can consult this magical deck, it is uniquely suited for green witch practitioners.” Maybe it is. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is. Nevertheless as someone who to date doesn’t ascribe that, or any particular witch-based title to myself, I do not feel excluded in any way. Nor do I feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar with any of the messaging.

The book is divided into parts.

Part 1:

Understanding your Green Witch’s Oracle Deck covers oracle deck basics. She puts it much more succinctly than I managed to when she describes, “The symbols of green witchcraft found in this deck are the basic parts of your environment — they are the herbs, stones, plants, seasons, flowers, trees, and tools that lay the foundation for life.” I do wish she had clumped them accordingly in the guidebook though. But more on that later.

Part 2:

Working with the deck opens with Chapter 2 Preparing Your Deck for Readings. In this section there is a Green Witch’s Oracle Deck Blessing but if that doesn’t sit with you then you can just skip that section. I generally like to read these but I only take from them what I connect with.

Next, Chapter 3 How to Read Oracle Cards covers areas such as When and Where to do Your Reading; Creating a Divination Routine; Performing a Reading; Forming Your Question; Drawing Your Card; Interpret Your Reading; and Recording Your Reading. None of these topics are approached in a dogmatic manner.

Chapter 4 covers Oracle Card Spreads. Here she has included six spreads:

1. Quick Connection (one-card spread)
2. The Green Witch’s Past, Present, and Future (three-card spread)
   • I like her approach here. Card 1 asks “What do I need to sow in order to lay good foundations for a future project?” Card 2 “What in my life requires tending to in order to maximise success in the future?” Card 3 “What in my life has come to the point where it needs to be concluded and harvested?”
3. The Elements (five-card spread)
   • pictured above
4. The Tree (six-card spread)
5. The Garden Gate (nine-card spread)
6. Wheel of the Year (twelve-card spread)

Part 3:

The Cards and How to Interpret Them is where you find the card meanings. I wish I could make sense of how she has ordered the cards, but I can’t. Fortunately there is an index at the back of the book. But, this is in numerical, rather than alphabetical, order so you still need to skim through the list of entries to find the one you are looking for. It is my one complaint in this beautifully presented book.

A full colour image of the card is on the left hand page with the meaning on the right. I’ll share the write up for the Watering Can card (which appears between Thyme and Basil in the book), as an example.

Watering Can

ASKING FOR HELP, SHARING BURDENS

CARD MEANING: Not everything happens naturally. Sometimes you must carry water to a plant. Being  a green witch means stepping up to honor nature and act on its behalf. Sometimes that manifests as giving a plant what it lacks so that it can thrive. The reciprocal relationship between you and nature means that sometimes you're the one who needs nature's help, and sometimes nature needs your help. 

When you're lacking something, however, it can at first be hard to admit you need to ask for help. The Watering Can card tells you that something in your life needs external support, or that a burden needs to be shared. Don't be afraid to lean on others.

REFLECTION
Is there something in your life that needs outside attention, or an injection of energy from elsewhere?

I was surprised there was no mention of the bee still out trying to gather pollen and nectar in the rain. But then again I wasn’t. This book gives you the basics and then lets you make sense of what you’re looking at in your own way. Though it definitely offers enough to ensure it is beginner friendly.

Wrapping it all up

I’ll leave the final words to Arin Murphy-Hiscock:

Whether you are looking to strengthen your connection to nature, enhance your intuition, confront a situation that has been troubling you, or simply open communication between yourself and the natural world, The Green Witch’s Oracle Deck provides everything you need to incorporate oracle cards in your practice.

Publishing details

Created by: Arin Murphy-Hiscock with illustrations by Sara Richard (Midnight Magic)

Websites: Arin Murphy-Hiscock and Sara Richard

Pictured version: Published by Adams Media in 2023

ISBN 13: 978-1-5072-2113-6

Packaging: Solid two part box