The Universe Has Your Back

The Universe Has Your Back is a 52 card message deck designed to help you open up to the power of the Universe. Since I’m a lettering geek and I love words The Universe Has Your Back seemed like a perfect match for me. But as my main focus is tarot they have sat around for a while.

To be honest at first I found them a bit syrupy, and potentially a little disempowering. However, recently I pulled them out to accompany a reading and found they added a depth to my interpretation. This helped me to connect with them and to understand them more. When I considered the tarot spread through the lens of The Universe Has Your Back and The Universe Has Your Back through the lens of the tarot spread, everything just clicked. They moved from being way too Hallmark-y to a wonderful tool that can both focus a reading and sum up its message. I now see and use them in a completely different way.

The creators say to choose one card when you need clarity, loving direction, or a return to your own intuition. For me The Universe Has Your Back work better in conjunction with tarot, but I also see how they could work well as a card of the day. Anything that encourages you to see yourself and others in a more loving way is going to have a positive influence on your day.

The cards themselves are printed on thick card stock and measure 9 x 12½cm. Unfortunately, no book is included to offer any expansion on the card message. Obviously the cards themselves are self explanatory, so a book may appear unnecessary, but to be honest I still expected one. The book that accompanies The Sacred Creators Oracle, another word-based deck adds so much and makes the deck way more powerful.

Rather than including a book, the creator Gabrielle Bernstein writes on a single accompanying card,

My hope is that this deck will help you to deepen your connection to the innermost part of yourself and to the Universe. In that connection you will be guided to your true purpose: to be love and spread love.

On the flip side of this card is information on both the creator and the artist.

In reality, even though I have put these cards under oracle decks, I would more describe them as affirmation cards. That being said, as I have already mentioned, I find they can work in well with tarot spreads. Also, with their simple form and their attractive packaging, they could make a really nice gift for someone in need a pick me up or just because. Each card is like a mini pep talk.