Many customers have been asking me the same thing lately, namely,
"What is the difference between Tarot cards and Oracle cards? How do I know which one to pick? "
Let's start by examining the purpose of using such a card deck, to begin with.
Both Tarot and Oracle cards are divination tools. Divination, as explained by the Cambridge Dictionary, is the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future. This is not to say that it is an absolute fact. It merely is the most possible outcome should one continue on the path they're currently on. The moment one makes a significant change in their life, that outcome will become less likely to happen, if at all.
An important thing to mention, is that there is no devil or demon involvement in divination (unless the reader chooses for there to be. That, would boil down to their personal choice and is not representative of every single person out there who practices divination.
Two Greek Deities linked to the tarot and Oracle respectively that instinctively come to mind are Hecate, and Apollo.
Hecate or Hekate (/ˈhɛk.ə.ti/; Ancient Greek Ἑκάτη, Hekátē) is a Greek Goddess, most often shown holding a pair of torches or a key and in later periods depicted in triple form. She is variously associated with the Crossroads, entrance-ways, night, light, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery.
Apollo, on the other hand, barely needs any introduction. He is best known by the general public as the Sun God, however he is also God of Healing, Archery, Music and Arts, Knowledge, Herbs & Flocks, Protection of the young, and Prophecy, with the Oracle of Delphi being sacred to him.
As the Patron Deity of Delphi (Apollo Pythios), Apollo is what would be called an "Oracular God" —which in simple terms means he is the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle.
Onto the differences between Tarot & Oracle Decks now - Starting with Tarot.
The Rider Waite Tarot is one of the most popular decks out there, and many other decks are modeled after it.
A Tarot Deck typically is made up of 78 cards, which are split between Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana is then further divided in 4 suits - Pentacles/Coins, Wands, Swords and Chalices/Cups. Each suit is made up of 10 numbered cards, and 4 court cards.
The Major Arcana consists of Named, Numbered cards. The Fool is numbered as 0, and is therefore both the first and last card. Each card in the Major Arcana is a life lesson/experience that The Fool experiences on his journey out into the world.
The Minor Arcana's suits are reminiscent of a deck of playing cards, however each suit holds specific meaning.
The Pentacles/coins represent the element of Earth, and are linked with the mundane, everyday life, family and work.
The Wands represent the element of Fire, and are linked with Inspiration and Spirituality.
The Swords represent the element of Air, and are linked with Intellect and Creativity.
The Chalices/Cups represent the element of Water, and are linked with Emotions and Feelings.
Each Court Card is said to represent either a significant person embodying the qualities of the respective suit, or that aspect of the person for whom the reading is being done.
Tarot cards can be laid out in several different ways when doing a reading, and can involve as little as 1 card, or as many as may be necessary. My personal go to layout is the 3 card spread seen above.
At times there may be the need for a clarifier card to be drawn (aka."pulled"), to elaborate further on a specific area, or a Course of Action card to help figure out the way forward. In the reading I did for myself below, the message was pretty clear to me, so no further cards were necessary.
Each Tarot deck typically includes a little guide book, however there are much more detailed books out there that go into the nitty gritty.
In some Tarot decks, the name of the suits of the Minor Arcana might be changed in order to fit the theme of the deck itself, and at times, there might also be some changes made to some of the Major Arcana cards for the same reason. With time and experience, these tweaks become trivial when interpreting the outcome of the reading, and can actually be a welcome new insight.
Oracle cards, on the other hand, are more free format. Most Oracle decks range between having 44 and 55 cards - but there is no rule as to how many or how few cards such a deck should contain.
When creating an Oracle deck, the author has the freedom to take whatever direction they wish - number of cards, theme, appearance, card names, description, meanings - you name it.
Many people use Oracle Cards as a standalone reading - one such reason could be pulling a card to act as a Card of the Day. It would act as a theme or message to carry with them during the day, a little personal mantra or motivational message of sorts.
Others, like I often do, use Oracle Cards in conjunction with Tarot.
The Angels and Ancestors Oracle Deck features a mix of people from around the world taking on a variety of roles - Deities, Angels, Spirits etc. Included are also a variety of symbols and animals, and there are even the seasons included. The way that the imagery has all been tied together in one neat package is by no means an easy feat. Including a vast variety of imagery can come across disjointed at times - but the matte quasi-pastel, earthy tones in the artwork does a great job at giving this deck a consistent feel.
This specific deck includes 55 cards, and a little guidebook. Truth be told, just by looking at the card, you can very easily get the gist of the meaning, as can be seen below:
The card I pulled for myself was the Fire Guardian, whose message is, "Ignite Your Passions". By observing the imagery of the card, it is easy to see Creativity, Passion, Strength and the peace of mind that comes from a place of confidence in one's skills.
The Guidebook that comes with the deck gives a more eloquent explanation with regards to the meaning of the card, as can be seen below:
Ultimately, it is up to you which type of Divinatory deck you opt for.
To finish off, let us address a question that pops up pretty regularly.
Absolutely.
Urban legend has it that your first Deck should be bought for you, given, or stolen but you should never buy it for yourself. If you do, the deck won't work for you, or it'll have negative energy, or bad luck.
That is definitely not the case. There will be times when a deck seems to be calling out to you, beckoning you. That love at first sight moment is a good indicator that it may very well be the deck for you.
Most people would be stuck waiting for years to be gifted their first deck - it isn't exactly your typical birthday/housewarming/special occasion gift!
So don't worry - if you like a deck, go for it!
Until next time, stay safe!
Ros
