Review: Enchanted Oracle by Jessica Galbreth & Barbara Moore

I've been wanting to review this deck for a while because I never expected to like it so much. As I said in previous posts, I am not a big fan of fairy decks in general, and honestly the art of the Enchanted Oracle did not attract me so much at first. I bought this deck on impulse, during a moment of shock.

Let me begin by saying why I like this deck better than all other fairy oracles I came across: because it is not mythically self-indulgent. Allow me to explain. When using other fairy decks, I have often felt as if the author was trying to shove her beliefs down my throat. I don't like being converted. And I like even less to see the author constantly rave and rant about creatures I have never seen (because the deck won't work if you don't have a good relationship with the fairies and nature). It exasperates me because it gets in the way when I am trying to use the deck.

But thank goodness... the Enchanted Oracle is different. Barbara Moore talks about the fairies, of course, but never in a way that implies they are real things that you must worship in order to use the deck. In fact, I like the rather archetypical way she describes the characters in the cards. There are no endless pages describing how the author first got in touch with the fairyland, and how the fairies like to be 'treated' so they'll collaborate with your readings. A breath of fresh air.

The book begins with a small introduction to the Enchanted Oracle and a chapter teaching how to use it, in which the author gives two small (and useful) all-purpose spreads. After that we reach the part dedicated to the card themselves - each card gets about 5 or 6 pages of description, which include:
-- a B&W picture
-- a small introduction to the fairy in the cards and what she represents
-- a paragraph containing the oracle message
-- a spell or exercise that is meant to help you to put the card's message into practice.
Some cards have more than one spell, and other cards have a journaling or visualization exercise instead. I usually don't care about such things, but I found that some of the rituals have helped me to regain my focus in my darkest times.

The cards are very pretty and colorful... although Jessica Galbreth's art wasn't really my style, after a while I fell in love with the jewel tones of her paintings. The art is very girly, and there are very few men in the cards (only 4 out of 36 cards!), which can be unappealing to those who prefer more balanced decks. Although some cards mention pagan elements like Samhain, Yule, Cernunnos and others, this deck doesn't belong to any specific faith.

The cards have a good size for small hands (7 x 11.5 cm ~ 2.75 x 4.52 in), and the card-stock is a bit on flimsy site. Still, I have been using this deck daily for about two months and so far I had no problems with the cards getting bent or damaged. The back of the cards is black, and I found it get marked very easily - my own deck already has many light scratches from handling and shuffling. The lamination is a bit thin, but non-sticky and doesn't have an unpleasant odor.

Perhaps one of the most unique features about this deck is the fact that it comes with a fairy charm, that can be used both as a necklace and as a pendulum. Barbara Moore gives some instructions on how to calibrate the pendulum (which I haven't managed to do so far), and some of the rituals suggested by the cards involve charging the little charm with a certain kind of energy or using it as a pendulum to help with a decision. My little fairy is already kinda worn (and the silver painting got damaged after a small accident involving acetone), because I wore it non-stop during February. Somehow, it gave me strength.

I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this deck. The more I use it, the more I like it. During sad and bleak days, it offered me advice and comfort without letting me get trapped into a victim mentality. Barbara Moore writes in a straightforward and non-fluffy way, and Jessica Galbreth's art has something about it that inspires you to feel strong.

Although I know the fairies in these cards are not real, when reading with this deck I feel like I am tapping into something within myself... a source of power. And perhaps that is, indeed, the place where all the magical creatures truly exist...

Enchanted Oracle © Llewellyn Worldwide & Jessica Galbreth