Review: Eternal Seeker Oracle

Eternal Seeker Oracle

Author: Pamela Steele

Artist: Pamela Steele

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2021

Description: 33 card deck, 128-page companion book, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3 1/2 by 5

"The images, although inspired by the Major Arcana, seek to delve into the core authenticity of the archetypes that is reflected by the title of each card."

Pamela Steele has created a magical oracle deck. Twenty-two cards are based on the Major Arcana and eleven additional cards are added to make a well-rounded look into understanding your life and gaining advice for personal and spiritual dilemmas. 

The images in this deck are beautiful. Above, you see the 7 Tradition card which is inspired by the Tarot's "The Hierophant." 25 The Weaver was inspired by the Steele Wizard Tarot's "The Weaver". 30 and 31 are part of the additional cards. Also, notice the connections the bottom of the cards form. The energy and connectivity of this deck is amazing. 

They are printed on good card-stock, making them easy to shuffle. The size of the cards makes for easy handling. I have only positive things to say about this deck. It will definitely stay in my collection.

The companion book opens with a Foreword by Benebell Wen. The Eternal Seeker Oracle "...will be a treasured oracle that connects an old-school generation of diviners with the new." 

Pamela Steele covers reader ethics, explains what an oracle deck is, shares how to care and 'feed' your deck, gives tips on keeping a journal, and discusses how to compose a question, along with tips on shuffling and dealing the cards.

The author shares six spreads in detail, but also encourages you to create your own. She makes it clear that there is no wrong way to use this deck. The companion book is only a guide to help you in your journey.

 

The bulk of the companion book covers the cards, including an image, the name and number, a phrase, along with a phrase on the numerical value, a summary of the card, and the suggested meanings of upright and reversed cards. A generous amount of space is given to make Notes after each card section.

The card backing also has relevance in the author's creation. She shares a short explanation of its importance. She closes the companion book with a few words on her journey, acknowledgements, resources, references, and quotes.

"Have faith; there is always hope."

I highly recommend this deck. The vibrant images are amazing, the energy is positive, and the cards delve into a new aspect of understanding. This could be your first oracle deck, or one to add to your collection. It would make a great stand alone, or an addition to your Tarot or Lenormand readings.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Rainbow Kipper

Rainbow Kipper

Author: Toni Puhle

Artist: Steven Bright

Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2021

Description: 38 card deck, 112-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 2 1/2 by 3 3/4

"Every level of Kipper reader will find this deck a gateway to understanding the nuances of the Kipper system and will be predicting life events with ease."

The first color-coded deck presents simplicity in the nature of the narrative and directional cues at first sight. 

The cards are printed on good card stock, making them easy to shuffle. The images are simple and the selected colors are mild, not overbearing. I love how the main character cards stand out in the readings.

The author mentions the complexity of the "Grand Tableau", but only goes into short details of how the colors can help you better understand the system. However, you will find it easy to find information on this spread online. Here's a quick overview of how it works @ Stefan's Cards.

"A "Grand Tableau" highlights where clusters of color can be found, and allows the reader to find storylines at first glance, using the red Stop cards as punctuation. Clusters of color emphasize troublesome or stale areas within seconds, and movement is clear to the naked eye."

The guidebook gives an overview of the color-coding of the cards, such as many red cards in a spread show a stalled situation. The main characters are the most important cards in the deck. The author gives explanations on how to use them to get the best readings. The rest of the book is devoted to the separated color-codes and the cards included in each division.

For example, the Green cards are People in your reading. The people can represent a person in your life, but they can also bring their aura into the reading. The Rich Gent's presence in your reading can go from good guy to rival depending on where he lays next to the main character. His aura brings a sense of finances, investments, and ambition.  

Red cards represent stop signs, the end of a sentence in the reading, or a slow-moving situation. Blue cards show change and movement. The Pink cards are connectors to the situation of the reading. Yellow cards show cause and effect. These are the cards that show challenges.

Each card is given a two-page description, including: Card image and title, a short phrase, an overview, Imagery, Placement, Daily Advice, Positive and Negative Meanings.

After all the cards are explored, the author gives advice on setting your intentions and shares two spreads, followed by a conclusion section.

Will this product make you a Kipper expert? Probably not, but it will help assist your journey.

I recommend this deck to anyone interested in learning the Kipper system. The color-coded cards will help you navigate the Kipper journey a little easier. 

Just remember these are not Tarot cards. The Kipper deals with the day-to-day life, not the spiritual side of things. 

You may also enjoy Rachel Swirl's review of this deck.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)

Review: Auset Gypsy Tarot

Auset Gypsy Tarot
Author: James Jacob Pierri
Illustrators: Rebecca Stotsenburgh and Heather Scott
Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing, 2021

Description: 78 card deck, 96-page guidebook, box with magnetic closure lid.

Card Size: 3 by 5

"The Fool card through the World card is the story of the Tarot as it has been relayed for generations, and it's the most popular explanation of the Major Arcana. But this is the Auset Gypsy Tarot Deck and it's a new story, a different telling, true to tradition but with its own unique adventure!"

The Auset Gypsy Tarot deck is unique in imagery, but does follow the traditional path of the tarot story. The Major Arcana cards are depicted in cartoon style images and include the astrological associations. The Minor Arcana cards are presented in pip style, while the court cards take on a playing card design.

The guidebook begins with a forward and the story of the Auset Gypsy Tarot and then dives into the card meanings. The Major Arcana are given two pages each: the astrological association, traditional meaning, Auset Gypsy meaning, and story plot, and a full-page picture of the card.

The Minor Arcana sections are smaller, two per page, and gives the astrological association and key words and phrases. You'll find some of these expand on the traditional meanings, while some seem very different than the normal suggested meanings. The court cards are also presented two per page.

The guide closes with three suggested tarot spreads and a bit of tarot advice, a two-page section for notes, and a short about the author.

The card stock of this deck is very thick and stiff. I found them hard to shuffle. Although this is a beautiful deck, I didn't find any connection with the cards. Each reader will find certain decks attract them more than others, this just isn't a deck for me.

I do recommend this deck to readers who want to step a little outside of the tradition and explore a new story. I wouldn't suggest this as a beginner deck. The Minor Arcana, presented in pip style, doesn't allow for a visual interpretation or any guide to the meanings. With that said, a little challenge isn't bad, just be prepared to see the different aspects outside of the traditional book meanings of the Rider-Waite decks.

Grab your copy at Red Feather/Schiffer Publishing.

(Review Product supplied by Schiffer Publishing)