Tarot vs. Oracle

Tarot is viewed as a relatively "mystical" way of learning about your future... or at least that is how it is portrayed in a lot of media. Tarot is a deck of 78 cards with different meanings. Although many readers let their intuition lead them in understanding the symbolism in the cards more than the outlined descriptions, the general themes do hold strong no matter the deck you purchase or read.

Tarot, when it is boiled down, is more of a way to connect with the parts of yourself you may have tucked away, things you forgot about, or it may be cause of the resurgence of your own intuition, helping you to best move forward in your day-to-day life.

Tarot is often direct, and to some people, it may come across as a little cut-throat or abrasive. These cards are the friend who is going to tell you like it is, no sugar coating, really biting the bullet. If you're looking for some straight up truths, this is the deck you need.

So what are oracle cards then?

Glad you asked!

Oracle cards are more "love and light" leaning. They bring a lot of positive things to light in your reading and often focus on reminding you of your strengths. Oracle cards are the pep-talk friends.

When I offer readings I like to bring both tarot and oracle cards to read from. I always start with the tarot in personal readings because it does help to narrow down the topics we will be covering in the reading overall. After the initial tarot cards are pulled, I will pull a few different oracle cards to lighten the mood or just to help my client remember their resources in whatever situation they might be facing.

You can do a reading using just tarot or just the oracle, and I suggest doing so, especially if you are getting to know your deck. I also recommend considering where you are mentally before reading. If you are feeling low, you may benefit more from using the oracle more dominantly as it will remind you of your natural strengths, abilities, and potentially offer an outlook you may not have considered recently.

If you are, however, looking to solve a problem or figure out a more complex situation, reading the tarot may give you a stronger upper hand. If you are looking for what to ask the tarot, you can check out the other articles on my page!

Combining the two types of cards in a reading can also deepen or give you alternate perspectives. As an example, from the tarot you may pull the Tower card which indicates sudden upheaval or a change outside of your control. Consider the idea of something crumbling because it was made on an base that couldn't support it. This may be devastating and cause someone to worry about what to expect. Pulling an oracle card might offer them some advice or a sense of how they will manage the situation. From one of my oracle decks, the Work Your Light deck in this case might offer the card "Take a Break" which encourages you to stop and take care of yourself for a while. With this card combination you may expect that the Tower card represents a sudden change in pace due to exhaustion or some type of barrier. While it seems bad, it offers you the opportunity to relax, recharge, and maybe re-examine your working habits so that you can re-build yourself with sturdier cornerstones!

The cards are tools to give you insight and give you strength! Use them wisely.