I received a wonderful holiday gift from longtime blogging buddy Susan, who blogs from Upstate New York on her entertaining and often humorous blog called e-i-e-i-omg (subtitled "middle-aged homesteader meets reality"). She very kindly and generously sent me a copy of The Literary Witches Oracle. I had not heard of this deck before but it is a marvelous, recently created one. Thank you, Susan!
The oracle deck consists of 30 Witches cards and 40 Witches' Materials cards. Each Witches card features a past or present woman writer, literary icons all, many also feminist and/or lesbian icons too. Each Witch is associated with a particular quality or state of being. Some of my personal faves represented in this deck include Agatha Christie (Trickery), Emily Dickinson (The Soul), Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Freedom), Joy Harjo (Bravery), Audre Lorde (Justice), Sappho (Love), Gertrude Stein (Perspective) and Virginia Woolf (Vision).
The Witches' Materials cards are images of various animals and objects symbolizing themes often found in these witches' writings.
A helpful Guidebook to interpret the cards is included in the box set.
My Opportunity card was Tree (wisdom, good roots, connection).
My Challenge card was Mary Shelley: Loss (the cycle of life, transitions, attachment).
My Resolution card was Toad (humour, the grotesque, joy).
While I can therefore expect to deal with some form of challenging loss this year, I should strive to find humour and positivity in the experience by treating it as an opportunity to cultivate wisdom and reliance on the support of others.
[Photos #1 and #2 from the internet;
Photo #3 © Debra She Who Seeks, January 2021]
43 comments:
What a great gift. So interesting.
That is one cool gift!!!! I don't know much about these things, but I do know I absolutely love the idea and the art of the cards behind this. A great take on having past and present writers and icons. And I hope the loss won't be to bad, or something terrible, but the "should strive to find humor and positivity in the experience by treating it as an opportunity to cultivate wisdom and reliance on the support of others." sound like your personality.
wow...cool! i've never seen this before.
This took two readings before I grasped what it's about! Is this about the future and guidance, like the I ching? I'm guessing so. Maybe at some point you might say more?
May you find lots of humor and experience little loss
I used to do I Ching. A somewhat interesting oracle.
@ Boud -- Yes, you're right. Oracle cards, like tarot cards and the I Ching, are about giving guidance for the future. But unlike tarot cards and the I Ching, they do not require years of study to understand but are read more intuitively instead.
Witching better than bitching
@ Bill Lisleman -- Can't argue with that, Bill!
TOAD!!! What a great card to get! I hope your loss is not something major. Perhaps you could lose a remote or a matching sock.
This is such a cool gift. I hope the loss isn't family or friends. Maybe it will be like what Lady M said, the remote controller or a sock.
That's a very cool deck! What a perfect gift! I might have to look around for that one - love that it's Women.
Interesting spread. Very balanced.
Cheers!
Oh that is a very nice deck, I never heard of that one! Lovely gift from Susan!! ♥
It's as though that deck was made for you.
How generous of her to send it to the appropriate recipient.
Enjoy.
Wow sounds an interesting gift dear Debra
Hope you will enjoy to have them my friend
Who needs tree when you have toad?
It's hard for me to see the label witch associated with Mary Shelley: she was secular humanist and a very modern woman. Even her most famous novel, although a staple of gothic horror, is technically (and accidentally) science fiction and it has not an ounce of supernatural in it. Oh and I hope I can visit Marlow and do the Mary Shelley tour this year.
@ Guillaume -- I understand your point. However, in feminist circles, "witch" often denotes any woman who is a non-conformist and challenges the status quo. It doesn't carry any supernatural connotations in that context.
Cool. The artwork reminds me of the series Dickinson on Apple tv+. Great show, especially the first two seasons, IMO.
I collect tarot card decks; I am always keen to hear of ones I don't know of and this one is charming.
Interesting. Hope you elucidate.
What an interesting deck! Great gift.
Those cards are well designed.
What an amazing and fun gift; perfect for you.
You'll have to update us at the end of the year to see if your reading was close to reality. (hopefully not the loss part!)
What a wonderful gift! And, brave of you to do a self reading - I'm not ready to do that just yet.
What a wonderful and lovely gift. I don't use my tarot deck much (it's just a plain Rider as opposed my dream deck, the visconti sforza tarot), but they have provided some interesting insight.
Happy New Year and I hope you lose nothing more than your car keys or glasses and not for any troubling length of time!
A wonderful surprise!
I find any gift to be generous.
Love your crystal collection. I have a collection of crystals myself. Many of which were gifted to me.
What a delightful gift! Sounds like great fun.
What a great gift. It sounds intriguing. I've looked at Susan's blog, I think I will be a regular visitor.
What a nice gift..perfect for you!!
Hopefully the loss part of your reading will be something small..Like the remote or your keys..Certainly not your mind LOL
Never heard of this deck. I like it. I did check out your friend blog and she quite the gal.
Coffee is on and stay safe
omg this looks awesome!
Did those three cards come up randomly (by, say, shuffling), or did you choose the three yourself, and then read the prediction that came with them?
The one with the carrot peeler…priceless!
@ Kirk -- No, they were randomly selected, as is done with all Oracle and Tarot cards.
What a unique gift! I love how you can humor in everything. That is so important with life being filled with difficult times.
Very interesting to read about. Thank you for sharing.
I've had my eye on that deck for some time. It just looks so cool!
May the only thing you lose this year is your left mitten. xo
wow...........that is way cool.
What a wonderful gift! Receiving decks is my favourite thing in the world! Enjoy. Sounds like a lovely one.
What an excellent gift! Love the deck! Great reading Deb! Big Hugs!
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