I’ve been really into Tarot and Oracle cards for the past 10 years but somehow managed to avoid learning anything about Lenormand cards until now. I know, it’s crazy!
Lenormand is very different from Tarot – yes, it’s still cards with pictures of stuff on them and you read them, but it’s done very differently. I think I avoided it because my brain just couldn’t handle learning another new divination system. But now I’m ready and raring to go!
I decided to start my Lenormand journey with theGreen Glyphs Lenormandby James R. Eads (the creator of the Prisma Visions Tarot)…
I feel like this is a great deck for those new to Lenormand (like myself!) but also for those who just want a new, gorgeous, high quality Lenormand deck.
The card stock is orgasmic – velvety, matte finish with rose gold edges that don’t flake off sparkly shit on your fingers. The box is really cute and sturdy with a magnetic closure, making opening and closing this box feel oddly enticing. Also, the guidebook is awesome – lots of great basic info on how to use these cards.
I want to know…
Do you read Lenormand? Do you like it more or less than Tarot? And why? Please feel free to share in the comments below 🙂
The Magick and Mediums Oracle by Anielle Reid is modern, mystical and powerful! Join me as I go through this deck and explore the cards…
This deck is ideal for meditation and using in any kind of magickal practice. Personally, I love sitting with just one of these cards and contemplating it in a relaxed and lazy manner – I had so many cool ideas and insights when I did this! Even got a few creative writing ideas!
So far I’ve only used this deck a handful of times, but each time I did it was a special experience, like I was dabbling in a new dimension or something. Ah, good times 🙂
One of my favorite parts of what I do is unboxing fabulous new decks and sharing the experience with you! Join me as I slowly reveal the magic that is the Amenti Oracle by Jennifer Sodini…
I have yet to try this deck while reading for someone else but I’ve done some great one card readings on myself, which have led to some interesting insights and discoveries! I look forward to further exploring this special mystical deck and I plan to use it in my next weekly reading video, so stay tuned 🙂
Join me as I unbox my newest Tarot deck, the Tarot of Why by R Campbell!
Created while on tour with Cirque du Soleil and originally only intended for personal use, R Campbell decided to print multiple copies of the deck at the urging of a co-worker. And I’m glad he did! Have a look and see what makes this deck so special…
From the start, this deck fascinated me. Many of the court cards are bursting with character and the little details and symbols seem to beckon me down a rabbit hole of self discovery and intuitive exploration.
So far, I’ve only done a couple of readings with this deck and they have been very intriguing to say the least, but stay tuned as I’ll be using it in this week’s reading forecast video!
Every once in a while a deck comes along that totally takes me by surprise and makes me go oh yeah, I just know I’m going to be using this deck for years to come!
That’s how I feel about the Oracle of the Essences by Monica “The Enchantress.” Join me as I unbox this deck, share my thoughts and do a quickie reading…
The Chakra Wisdom Tarot is a new Tarot deck by Tori Hartman (the woman behind the Chakra Wisdom Oracle!). It’s a unique deck that blends chakra stuff with Tarot stuff – what’s not to love?!
Join me as I crack open this deck for the first time to share my first impressions and do a sample reading…
*After doing this unboxing video, I did a few readings with the deck and it really surprised me in it’s complexity and depth. I found that the chakra colors on the cards really helped me add a whole extra dimension onto each card, getting further insights and tidbits.
I can tell this will be a deck I reach for time and again 🙂
One of my favorite pleasures in life is waiting for things in the mail! I’ve been looking forward to unboxing the Alfin Ally Oracle by Kathy Crabbe and sharing my first impressions with you…
This deck is a delight! It has an innocent and whimsical vibe and is so easy to work with. It would make a wonderful gift, even for someone who isn’t used to doing card readings because it is just so easy to use. And it would be a wonderful addition to your spiritual toolbox or deck collection 🙂
My favorite thing about this deck is that it beautifully combines the faerie and animal realms, helping me feel a stronger connection to both. Can’t wait to use this deck for my future readings!
The Dark Mansion Tarot is an independently published deck by Krzysztof Wasiuk and Magdalena Kaczan (artist). Based on the Rider Waite style, this is a high quality, one of a kind Tarot deck, reminiscent of Tim Burton movies. At the time of this review, it comes in three different versions – standard version, limited edition and large edition. Warning: this is as close as I’ve come to finding the “perfect” Tarot deck!
Likes:
EVERYTHING!!!!
Delicious feeling card stock
Delightful, atmospheric artwork
Super-easy to read and work with
Dislikes:
Absolutely nothing! (This doesn’t happen often)
First impressions…
I first unboxed this deck on Christmas Eve after I’d enjoyed a delicious holiday dinner with my family. I’d just had a few tokes and was high as a kite when I first laid eyes on these cards. As I looked through the deck like a glassy-eyed zombie, I thought oh my god! This deck is incredible! It feels like butter in my hands, ooooh! The cards seemed to be speaking directly to that place inside me where my mind and soul meet. It was a magical experience. I was on the cusp of a full blown Tarotgasm!
Then I thought I’m probably just high, I bet it won’t be as spectacular tomorrow. But I was wrong. The next day I looked at this deck while I was stone cold sober and still thought oh my god, this is one of the coolest decks I’ve ever seen!
The Basics:
I have the standard version, which is what my review is based on. This deck also comes in a fancier limited edition which has larger cards, thicker card stock and a fancier, velvety finish and comes in a wooden box. There is also a large version. Honestly, the quality of the standard version is so good, I can’t imagine needing an even better quality version, but it’s there for you if you want it.
Box – the deck comes in a sturdy, cardboard box (pictured at the top of this page). It’s a nice, pretty box that is perfect for storing your cards in.
Card Stock – Superb! Good quality, luxurious card stock with a lovely matte finish. Print quality is top notch and the colors really pop. One nice thing I noticed – unlike my other decks that have a black background, this deck doesn’t get the little white chip marks on the edges. I’ve been shuffling and using these cards quite heavily for over a month now and they are still black as night!
Card backs – I love the card backs so much! They are cute and mysterious all at once (see below for a picture).
Size – Cards in the standard version are 12 x 7.4cm (a nice size for shuffling). I’m interested to see what the large version is like as I love big decks for their view-ability, but like smaller cards for their shuffle-ability.
LWB – there is no little white book with this deck.
What I love…
I really, really, really love the style of the art. Artist Magdalena Kaczan has done an outstanding job here. This deck feels like it was well thought out and meticulously crafted with lots of attention to detail.
I know a deck is special when each card just radiates a particular vibe or persona and with The Dark Mansion Tarotyou really do feel like you’re entering into some other world when you’re reading with it. The art reminds me a bit of Tim Burton movies, especially The Nightmare Before Christmas (one of my faves!) as it has this really cool atmospheric, Halloweeny feel to it, but not in an overpowering sort of way.
How does this deck read?
Like a charm! I used this deck for my 2019 Tarot forecast reading and I used it steadily for most of the private readings I did in January, as well as my own personal readings. The Dark Mansion Tarot sticks close to the Rider Waite style imagery, making it feel familiar and very easy to read with.
I especially liked the Court Cards, which were brimming over with personality and spark. Court Cards can be tough to read, but I found them a joy to read in this deck.
Who is this deck for?
Everyone. Beginners will have an easy time due to the fact that it’s similar to the Rider Waite in terms of symbolism and imagery. But this is no boring, Rider Waite clone, so I’m sure seasoned Tarot fans will find much to love about this deck!
I’ve seen a lot of Tarot decks over the years and I’ve become a bit jaded and numb. I rarely get all heart-pounding excited about a deck – but I sure did when I saw The Dark Mansion Tarot. This one’s special and I know it will be one of the most used decks in my collection.
The Hip Chick Tarot is a fresh and diverse Tarot deck for the modern woman. Created by Maria Strom, this deck is based on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck structure but with the suits, courts and some of the Majors renamed (I’ll talk more about this in a sec).
The deck comes in a beautiful, sturdy box (pictured left) with a companion book. The book features all the card meanings (including the “spiritual” and “practical” meanings) alongside images of each card. Also included in the book is 4 Tarot spreads.
Likes:
The fresh twist on the four suits, courts and some of the majors
Sturdy cards with a nice, matte finish (feels like grade A goodness)
Simple artwork that is easy to relate to and understand
Dislikes:
I kind of miss the dudes! (This is an all female deck)
The first thing I noticed about the Hip Chick Tarotwhen I took the cards out of the box was the super cool card backs. They’re simple, pretty and remind me of those rubbery flower stickers people used to put on the bottom of their showers so they didn’t slip – which kind of sounds like it’d be a bad thing, but it totally isn’t!
The second thing I noticed was the way they felt in my hands. This is a sturdy deck that means business – Maria Strom wasn’t messin’ around when she created this deck. This deck is built to last! The cards have a lovely matte finish and they make a nice sound when they rub together.
The cards are the perfect size – wide enough to really showcase the beautiful artwork, but just short enough to shuffle comfortably (I have little hands). The cards have a nice, matte finish and are a decent thickness – overall, the Hezicos Tarot has a really good feel.
Now onto my favorite part – the renaming of the suits! In this deck, Wands are Create, Cups are Feel, Swords are Think and Pentacles are Earth. I like this. It makes the suits more relatable and makes readings feel more practical and down to earth.
The court cards have also been renamed. Kings are Boss, Queens are still Queens, Knights are Teens and Pages are Children. Some of the Major Arcana have been renamed as well – for example, The Empress is Nature and The Emperor is Structure.
The only downside to all this renaming is that if you’re a beginner whose just started learning, you may get a bit confused here and there. But overall, I feel that the renaming makes the deck easier to understand and not harder.
The Hip Chick Tarot is a fresh, diverse deck that features a variety of women of different races, ages, religions, sexual orientations, etc. There’s even a chick in a wheelchair! This makes this deck different from the vast majority of decks I own, which mainly just show white people (who aren’t in wheelchairs).
This is an all-female deck with a bit of a feminist, 1970’s vibe, which I like. However, I kind of miss the dudes! I like dudes. I like them a lot. But I’m not complaining. Complaining about the lack of dudes on this deck is kind of like complaining that there aren’t enough dogs in a cat themed deck. Not that men are dogs. You know what I mean!
So by now you might be wondering buthow does it read? Let me tell you – it reads as easy as apple pie. So far I’ve used this deck in a couple of my weekly reading videos on Youtube as well as for a few personal readings and each time it is a delight to read with. A delight! There’s something about this deck that just feels easy and uplifting – I can’t help but feel happy when I’m working with these cards.
But this deck isn’t just a bunch of good vibes and strong, independent women swinging their handbags around – this deck actually makes you think a bit differently about certain cards. For example, The Tower helps you see the freedom/elation side of this card (I discuss this in the video above).
What I like most about this deck is that it feels fun, down to earth and easy to understand. Characters feel relatable, like you just know them, colors are bright and cheery and my favorite part…the cards make this eargasmy whoosh-whoosh noise when you rub them together. It’s the best.
Buy this deck if…
You resonate with the deck’s artwork and message
You’re a Tarot beginner looking for a deck you can relate to
You’re looking for an empowering, feminist deck
You want a deck that’s fun, down to earth and uplifting
The Light Visions Tarot and it’s colorful sister deck the Prisma Visions Tarot are created by James R. Eads. Both decks are gorgeous, high quality decks with some very unique features.
Likes:
Very high quality card stock
Borderless Minor Arcana! Yes!
Deck comes in a wonderful, sturdy box
Minor Arcana suits form a long picture when you lay them out (more on this!)
One extra special card that is unique to the deck
Dislikes:
Tricky to shuffle because of thick card stock and glossy finish
Borders on Major Arcana can make the Majors feel a bit small
You know you’ve got a high quality deck as soon as you hold the Prisma Visions Tarot box in your hands. It’s beautiful and sturdy and when you crack it open you see the mystical looking card backs of the deck nestled inside…
I was lucky enough to receive the Prisma Visions Tarot as a gift from one of my students almost a year ago. As soon as I opened the box and looked through the deck I thought “this deck is mine and it’s only for me!” which is funny because I don’t usually get possessive with my decks.
I have found this deck to be a welcome challenge in my reading practice. The cards aren’t always easy to decipher but they beg to be contemplated and pondered. This has helped me get new ideas and insights that can only come when you sit with a card for some time.
Prisma Visions Tarot is gorgeous. The Cards are vibrant, richly colored and pulsate with energy and movement. And I LOVE the fact that the minors don’t have borders.
One of my favorite things about this deck is this: each suit when laid out in order (Ace to King) forms one long, continuous picture. See my video above for a demonstration. This allows you to really study the minors in a whole new way as you get to see the story of each suit unfolding and see each card in a greater context.
Prisma Visions Tarot
Is there anything NOT to love about Prisma Visions Tarot? I have two minor gripes…
I don’t love the fact that the Majors have borders. It make the cards seem smaller than they actually are although I guess it’s easier to tell them apart from the Minors.
The other thing I don’t like is that this deck is a bit cumbersome to shuffle. The cards are normal size but their thick, good quality card stock makes them un-bendy and their glossy finish makes them slippery. If you have big strong hands this shouldn’t be an issue but I’m a weakling in this department.
Light Visions Tarot
I was recently sent the Light Visions Tarot (for review) and it’s been really fun working with both decks and comparing and contrasting them.
The Light Visions Tarot was actually the original, colorless deck. The Prisma Visions Tarot is basically the colorful version of that deck, with a few minor differences.
Light Visions Tarot
After working with the Light Visions deck for a week or so, I still cannot decide which deck I like best.
These decks each have a slightly different energy to them – the Prisma Visions is bright and alive while the Light Visions beams with…uh, light and takes on an etherial, other dimensionesque feel.
I have to say that I appreciate the simplicity of the Light Visions Tarot. Sure, lots of vibrant color is great and all but sometimes your just like enough with all these mind cluttering hues, I need a break!
And that’s when a color-free deck like the Light Visions Tarot can feel like a sigh of relief, like a cool, dark basement during a heat wave or the soul-nourishing quiet of your own home after your friend with three kids has left.
Sometimes your mind needs kind of that space, that kind of calm, to access the intuitive realm and this is what the Light Visions accomplishes so beautifully. Fuck color! You don’t need it.
Just kidding. I love a big, bright, colorful deck but I am starting to really appreciate the black and white decks too. Although the Light Visions isn’t really black and white, it’s more dark purply and sepia/cream.
Should you buy this deck?
Light Visions Tarot
I wouldn’t recommend this as your first deck. If you’re brand new to Tarot get something easy like the Rider Waite or Robin Wood. Then get this one when you want something meatier!
Readers with a bit of experience will appreciate this deck most and anyone looking for a bit of a challenge. Deck collectors will want this one in their collection for sure.
This deck also makes a fantastic gift for the Tarot lover in your life 🙂 I say this because of the exceptionally beautiful box that the deck comes in!
The Dark Mansion Tarot is an independently published deck by Krzysztof Wasiuk and Magdalena Kaczan (artist). Based on the Rider Waite style, this is a high quality, one of a kind Tarot deck, reminiscent of Tim Burton movies. At the time of this review, it comes in three different versions – standard version, limited edition and large edition. Warning: this is as close as I’ve come to finding the “perfect” Tarot deck!
