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 100 various decks (currently own about 70), 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.
Wisdom of the Oracle Divination Cards
This is one of my newer additions to my deck collection, but has quickly become a favorite for anyone who is starting off and would like a slightly different type of deck that is completely Oracle and a large deviation from Tarot. I added it to my collection when I saw it at a local metaphysical shop and loved the images. I also have enjoyed Colette's other decks, so thought it would be a great addition.
The Wisdom of Avalon Oracle Cards is published by Hay House. I purchased my deck directly from their website, but I have also seen it available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other bookstores.
From Amazon's Product Description:
The Wisdom of Avalon Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid is a 52-card divination system - an inspirational tool to bridge the unseen world of Spirit and the physical world of our day-to-day lives. Based on the rich mythology of ancient Britain’s Isle of Avalon and the wisdom teachings of its priestesses, these cards will help you find valuable and powerful insights in all aspects of life as you chart your path and manifest your destiny with clarity and purpose.
Their use will shed light on what has been, what needs illumination in the present, and what will weave patterns into the future. The deck will help you discover the potential of your own intuition as you follow the omens and symbols of the Goddess, the Kingdom of the Faeries, Merlin, and the Priestess of magical Avalon.
See into the future . . . and discover that you are more than you know!
About the Author
Colette Baron-Reid is the author of Remembering the Future, Messages from Spirit, and The Map, published in 27 languages, as well as The Wisdom of Avalon, Wisdom of the Hidden Realms, and The Enchanted Map oracle card decks. She’s an internationally acclaimed intuition expert and psychic medium, known affectionately by her clients as “The Oracle”; a keynote speaker; and an artist, entrepreneur, and visionary. Originally from Toronto, Colette lives in Connecticut with her husband and two Pomeranians.
Website: www.colettebaronreid.com
My Personal Review
This is a 52 card deck includes a lot of various elements, but in a much more whimsical and light-hearted imagery.
Product dimensions are 5.5 x 4 x 1.9 inches. The cards are larger than a traditional Tarot deck, but similar to most Hay House decks.
The reason I have 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. The artwork is different from other Colette decks and seems to have followed through on the whimsical, yet realistic theme.
The messages are all wonderful, and you can even see some of the original magic from Avalon weaved throughout the deck. I loved the balance of soft and muted colors, paired with bold and deep colors. It creates a deck that is not washed out, or overly dark. The deck is split into four sections; The Messengers of Avalon, The Animal Guides of Avalon, The Guides of Faery, and The Sacred Markers of Avalon.The deck obviously focuses on the myths of Avalon and more of a British feel.
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. I have always had a soft-spot for the Arthurian tales, and have found this deck to be a wonderful addition to have if you also enjoyed the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table. This has become one of my favorite decks to use during live sessions, and also for Three Card Spreads. 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. My children actually like looking to see where Spirit's face may be in the cards, and also some of the animals that may describe certain situations and such.
I do find it a wonderful and amazing deck to use for quick 3, 5, and 10 card spreads. It is versatile, honest without crushing your spirit, and it also does assist you in gaining clarity, no matter the inquiry.
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. This is a deck that I would carry with me everywhere I go when I don't know what I will meet on my journey. It is just that versatile! And also that calming for any reading you may be faced with. 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 quality of card stock seems to be what most of the Hay House decks that I own tend to lean towards. It isn't my favorite, but Colette's decks seem to have a slightly more matte finish, which makes it brilliant for taking photos of in natural light.
This is a very accurate and stunning deck to own and use! The artistry has a wonderful balance of color, contrast, and symbolism that is both appealing and meditative. Even the more challenging aspected cards have images that don't alarm the person.
The Guidebook is just a little over 240 pages, more than usual because Colette went to great lengths to fully explain each card. Is it all-inclusive of Avalon legends? Perhaps not, but the themes, figures, animals, and legends featured do have wonderful spirit-led messages for the reader. I feel that more could have been included, while others excluded. But this is not my creation and I still found it to be a source of gentle wisdom, and brings peace to my clients.
All in all, this is another one of my favorite decks for various reasons and one that I highly suggest to any budding card reader. Even if you are experienced reader, but would like to explore a different type of Oracle deck, I would say that this deck is a fantastic one to use. I have enjoyed it for the last year, and always recommend this deck to anyone first starting off in the world of card reading.
My overall opinion is that this deck is a 3 star choice.
Artwork - 5 stars
Card stock - 3 stars
Ease - 5 stars
Guidebook - 4 stars
I hope that you enjoyed my 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.
Happy Reading!
