Hello, soul friends!
I wanted to start off a section on my website where I review card decks that I have used over the years. I have owned over 75 various decks (currently own about 65), and thought I would write some of my notes, experiences, personal opinions, and information on the decks for anyone out there looking for suggestions. Diving into the world of decks can be a bit scary, fun, and also at times overwhelming with the sheer amount of choices.
There are various differences to the types of card decks people use, but the most common ones are Tarot, Oracle, and Lenormand. Over the years, I have come to collect various and eclectic decks ranging in artistic style and type. I always purchase what grabs my attention, and have learned that my aesthetic is not for everyone. So, as always, purchase what you feel guided to use for yourself.
I am just expressing my opinions and my own personal experiences with these decks and I hope that you can appreciate the candor. As always, use your own intuition and find tools that suit your tastes.
Ascended Masters Oracle
The Ascended Masters Oracle Deck is published by Hay House. I purchased my deck from HayHouse.com when they had one of their deck sales, but I have also seen it available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other bookstores.
I was suggested this deck by Doreen through other lightworking ladies who enjoyed the messages in this deck. I found it to be a good addition to my budding interest in more Ascended Masters work.
From Amazon's Product Description: By popular demand, Doreen Virtue has created a beautiful deck of cards based on her best-selling book Archangels & Ascended Masters. The deck includes gorgeous paintings of 44 male and female cross-cultural deities, such as Ganesha, Merlin, Saint-Germain, Apollo, Pallas Athena, White Buffalo Calf Woman, Jesus, Moses, Yogananda, Green Man, and Kuthumi. The enclosed guidebook gives expanded explanations of each card’s meaning, and a brief history of each ascended master. As with each of Doreen’s oracle-card decks, the messages for each card are positive, accurate, and life-affirming.
About The Author
Doreen Virtue is well-known for her books and cards about angels. She holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in counseling psychology. Raised in New Thought, and then steeped in new age, Doreen's whole life changed on January 7, 2017 when she had an encounter with Jesus, which led her to get Baptized, begin reading and studying the whole Bible, and becoming a Christian. Since her baptism on February 25, 2017, Doreen only writes scripturally, even though some of her previous writing is still being published. She is working with her publisher to rewrite some publications, to take others out-of-print, remove her name from other products, and give back her royalties to charity on others.
Doreen Virtue is a best-selling author, a doctor of psychology, and a Christian who studies scripture. She has appeared on Oprah, CNN, the BBC, The View, and Good Morning America, and has been featured in newspapers and magazines worldwide. For information on Doreen’s work, please visit her at AngelTherapy.com or Facebook.com/DoreenVirtue444.
To enroll in her video courses, please visit www.HayHouseU.com and www.EarthAngel.com.
My Personal Review
This is a 44 card deck that is meant to be used as a daily card a day deck, and includes Ascended Masters from all walks in life, time periods, folklore, and scriptures. Product dimensions are 0.8 x 4.8 x 5.2 inches. The cards are larger than a traditional Tarot deck, but similar to most Hay House decks.
The reason I enjoyed this deck so much is the versatility and the ease of use. It is a very gentle, positive, and an amazingly fun deck to use. From beginner to the experienced card reader, I think there is something unexpectedly beautiful about this deck. It has wonderful messages for anyone wanting to expand their relationship and knowledge of these amazing Ascended Masters from various cultures, backgrounds, and folklore.
The messages are all wonderful, and you can pick it up to use it with anyone without worrying about garish or scary messages. The artwork is a combination of various styles and artists, so there is a lack of cohesion that I prefer in most of my decks. I have noticed this trend with a lot of Doreen's decks - the artwork ranges a lot and it doesn't always tie together very well. There are cards that I prefer more artistically in this deck.
It is a 44 non-denominational card deck consisting of pictures and messages which are very easy to read and use (especially for beginners to Ascended Masters) - like I was when I first dove into this deck. These cards are simple, yet very meaningful and have universal messages. Once you begin using them, you realize how truly comforting and accurate they really are.
You can perform great readings for yourself and other with this deck as well as learn how to give readings if you are new to oracle reading. They are also a wonderful tool to get daily readings for yourself. I used them daily to get my guidance and messages for the day. The accompanying booklet helps you along with meanings of the cards as well as how to work better with the Ascended Master and the lessons associated with the card.
I find that anyone could pick up this deck and use it without a lot of confusion, or meddled up jargon included in the guidebook. I find it to be soothing and also very accurate when I am having a hard time with the "fluffiness" of my Angel decks. Some of the images are striking and do encourage one to look at the symbolism presented on the cards.
I enjoyed learning about some various cultures, as well. A lot of the Ascended Masters mentioned or added to this deck, I was not too familiar with. So I found it a great learning tool, as well. I have one other Ascended Master type of deck, that also includes various figures and I like using them both to learn more about certain Masters and familiarize myself with their lessons.
The cards are noticeably bigger than a deck of standard playing cards and the card stock itself is solid; I recommend anyone with a new deck spend some time shuffling it and getting to know its feel, in addition to just "getting to know" any new deck. I've found that I can shuffle them quite easily, even with my small hands.
The card stock is thick, has a shinier finish than newer decks (which is annoying when trying to get a nice picture of the deck), and also allows you get a nice bend without cracking the card stock. This card stock is very typical of Hay House products, so it definitely fits in with the rest of Doreen's many decks.
The guidebook is helpful, clear, and also helps you connect with the messages further. If you have difficulty handling bigger or tarot decks, this deck is for you. It is very easy to handle and shuffle. I took to this deck immediately and it took to me immediately. It is a perfect match for me, currently. I was glad I purchased it. I have enjoyed this deck so much for personal and client readings that it is still one of my go to decks for clear advice and guidance. It is so gentle to use, that I have even allowed my children to play with it. Much of the imagery is not dark, scary, or inappropriate for even a young audience. They also get to learn about various "guides" they can work with, which I find to be enjoyable.
If you are new to Ascended Masters or Oracle cards, or a beginner in divination, this deck might be a comforting addition. I would say that this deck is a good one to try out and check out.
My overall opinion is that this deck is a 4 star choice.
Artwork - 3 stars
Card stock - 3 stars
Ease - 5 stars
Guidebook - 4 stars
I hope that you enjoyed my first deck review, and also enjoy other deck reviews that I add to this site. I have a passion for exploring new decks and also finding various ways of connecting to my intuition. I appreciate you checking out my site and taking the time to read my review.
