We’re going deep into oracle territory now! This is a round deck with a system: 8 by 8 “elements” plus one card. The elements are Shadow, Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Spirit, Celestial, and Dimensional. (In this system Air is higher than Fire, I think because it’s partially based on chakras.) I typed up the keywords, attached. The author sensibly separates out the Shadow cards so they don’t get too much emphasis, but I put them back in the regular order so we can see the symmetry of the deck. The additional card is “Presence of Absence.” The author also provides a question for each card on the instruction cards. I’m not sure I’ll use them for readings. Oh, and it comes in a round tin with a clear top!
I just sorted the cards in order to type up the table, so now I have to shuffle well! Since these are round cards, they lend themselves to washing!
Deck Interview
Deck’s most important characteristic, Shadow of Water, Bleeding Together
Well, there are a lot of Shadow cards. Not more than of any other of the elements though. Maybe it’s good at bringing out emotional blocks.
Deck’s strength, Water of Celestial, Dreaming Layers
The illustration for this card is the deck’s title card, so it looks like the creator thought it was the deck’s strength too! If we’re meta, the illustrations are the deck’s strengths. Even though it is obviously ordered hierarchically, with lower and higher elements, it is good at showing the good in all layers (except the shadows).
Deck’s weakness, Air of Dimensional, Always Already
And just the opposite: Having three elements above the four earthly ones gives the deck a little too airy a feel. It can feel very spiritualized. Also it’s not very helpful to tell someone they already are what they want to be, if they can’t see it themselves.
What can the deck teach me?, Sprit of Air, Immune System
I’m assuming this is a metaphorical immune system? It can teach me to be more open to the airy/spiritualized nature of it all. Just because you can’t see something doesn’t make it less real.
How can I learn from it?, Water of Shadow, Cast About
This reading has two what I’m calling mirror cards: Shadow of Water and Water of Shadow, and Spirit of Air and Air of Spirit. I’m not sure how much they should be read as similar in meaning. I can learn from the deck by being open to the spiritual and to emotional turmoil. Cast about can mean tossed by the waves of emotion, but it could also mean search around for anything that can help.
Outcome of our working together, Air of Spirit, Hidden Ally
Well, at least we have a positive one here! The deck can be an ally, maybe not in the way I think it will be. That’s the hidden part. And it’s not actively against me anyway. Again, I’m not sure how similar Spirit of Air and Air of Spirit are supposed to be, but it reiterates that this is a very airy and spiritual deck. And shadowy, too.
Well, that was kind of unexpected but intriguing. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the deck this week. We’ll see if it turns out to be a favorite or just a collection of interesting illustrations.