Caroline Smith's oracles - Moon Oracle and Radiant Sun Oracle

[Nemia]

I'm very happy to own these two decks now - what a pity they're not the same size so I can't combine them! But before I can work with them, I have to learn them. I think they're beautiful, fascinating and not difficult to understand - when I read the books, it all makes sense. I do have enough knowledge of astrology to know my way around the planets, signs of the zodiac, fall and exaltation etc.

But it's all a bit overwhelming and I don't know how to read with it yet. They're complex systems, much more complex than the Moonology deck which I bought before - and the art by Smith is so much better and more complex, too.

Does anybody have some experience with her decks? I find it difficult to separate time-specific decks from the date I use them. They're for me more calendars than oracles - and the Moonology is always on my tarot calendar, indicating the Moon phase.

I find it so easy to work with tarot, and so difficult with oracles or even Lenormand, not to mention playing cards which I LOVE. So if you can help me along...

[*AJ]

I can't help you specifically but I'd like to say I'm so glad these have been re-released so a whole new generation of card users can enjoy them.
I have the early editions, and because my brain just will not 'get' astrology, at least in the sense of remembering things, I use them as one card draws combined with the book. I'd never embarrass myself by using them to read for someone else

My moon table in the accompanying Moon Oracle book is outdated since 2015, I've written to Caroline several times about hoping she'd offer a downloadable or buyable update, but never did hear a word.
She and her husband were working on a new tarot deck when he died suddenly, I expect it will sadly never see the light of day.
I hope you get a lifetime of enjoyment out of your decks! Sharyn

[Nemia]

Thank you! Do you want me to copy the pages from the book with the new dates?

[*AJ]

that would be very helpful, and I don't think Caroline would mind, I'll send you a PM.

[saturness]

Hi Nemia! I have owned both deck for years, although I have used the Moon Oracle more than the Radiant Sun. I also have the Elemental Tarot by the same authors and IMO all their decks are a bit hard to crack at first. The books often have a lot of information but not a deep development on cards meanings, so you have to get familiar with the cards by yourself. The example readings, when the books have them, are helpful, but hardly enough... I find the lack of a cohesive system in oracle decks often results in rather shallow readings, unless you work to build a more intimate relationship with the cards.

The Moon Oracle has eluded me for years, so recently I have decided to use it for Moon Cycle readings and guess what... it has been working better then when I attempted to use it for general readings. Sometimes I’ll ignore the book meanings and look only at the images and keywords, see what impressions they leave on me, in order to get more out of the cards.

One last thing is that I don’t think the Moon Oracle and the Radiant Sun mix very well. They are quite different in terms of the symbolism and “logic” so to speak so using them as a single deck would probably complicate things more, lol. But that’s just my view