Oracle Deck Review

Whispers of the Ocean Oracle

Created by Angela Hartfield

Illustrated by Ekaterina Golovanova

124 Pages

 

 

The Whispers of the Ocean Oracle is an Oracle deck created by Angela Hartfield, renowned medium and spiritual intuitive and creator of several other Oracle decks, and illustrated by Ekaterina Golovanova, talented Russian artist, designer and illustrator, and is published by Blue Angel Publishing, 80 Glen Tower Drive, Glen Waverly, Victoria, Australia 3150.

The Whispers of the Ocean Oracle comes in a 4¾” x 6½” sturdy cardboard box with a matte color image of one of the cards on the front and 8 card samples and a bit of information about the Oracle on the back. Inside the box are the 50 beautifully illustrated 3¾” x 5½” cards that make up this deck, and the companion guidebook describing the inspirations and meanings of the cards.

These cards are truly beautiful. I love jewel-toned illustrations and their vibrant and alive colors, and this Oracle deck offers the palette I enjoy. The images created by Golovanova are true-to-life and offer powerful visual connections to the names and meanings assigned to each card. The images take up almost all the space on the cards, with a card number, card name, and brief meaning found at the bottom. The image on the card back is the same as Card 1. The cards are sturdy and a bit large, but thanks to the nicely-slippery matte finish, they shuffle quite easily and they feel nice in the hand.

 

 

Like the cards themselves, the 4½” x 6¼” companion guidebook has a matte finish color soft cover with card images on the front and back, and contains 124 pages with black print on off-white paper with an easy-to-read font. The companion book begins with an introduction written by the author that touches on the life within the ocean and the crucial efforts to protect that life. There is a bit of information about the cards themselves, preparation for reading, shuffling, and a few simple spreads. The majority of the guidebook is dedicated to the messages of the cards.

Each card section has a black and white image of the card, the card number, name and brief meaning found on the card itself, and then several paragraphs that delve deeper into the messages offered by the images. The card descriptions are well written and very easy to understand. They include a bit of information about the creatures in the image along with suggestions for connecting with the energies and wisdom of the creatures, and how you could benefit from knowing about them.

For example, the #4 card, titled Life Is Better Together, shows a group of pilot whales swimming together. The card description includes the fact that the pilot whales in a pod tend to stick together and support each other, and encourages us to remember that isolation is not as helpful as cooperation and support. The #12 card, titled Replacing What Is Lost, shows a starfish. Most of us know that a starfish has amazing regenerative powers and can replace a lost limb. This card encourages us to take risks and be willing to move forward for we are blessed with great strength and abundance. The #28 card, titled Seeing Both Sides, presents a hammerhead shark, and the #36 card, titled Blend Into The Environment, presents an octopus. Clever metaphors!

The guidebook finishes with bios of the author and artist, and a description of a few of the other oracle decks available through Blue Angel Publishing.

This is an effortless Oracle deck to work with, and Whispers of the Ocean Oracle can be enjoyed by both those new to Oracle decks and divination as well as experienced readers. The card messages connect with the images in a way that is very easy to remember, so even a new reader could tell the story of the cards in a spread in a way that is helpful to a seeker. The joy and serenity to be had from the card images give us a glimpse into a world that many have no knowledge of, and encourage each of us to care about and protect the gift that is our oceans and the creatures who live within them.

 

 

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About the Author:

Raushanna is a lifetime resident of New Jersey. As well as a professional Tarot Reader and Teacher, she is a practicing Wiccan (Third Degree, Sacred Mists Coven), a Usui Reiki Master/Teacher, a certified Vedic Thai-Yoga Massage Bodyworker, a 500-hr RYT Yoga Teacher specializing in chair assisted Yoga for movement disorders, and a Middle Eastern dance performer, choreographer and teacher.  Raushanna bought her first Tarot deck in 2005, and was instantly captivated by the images on the cards and the vast, deep and textured messages to be gleaned from their symbols. She loves reading about, writing about, and talking about the Tarot, and anything occult, mystical, or spiritual, as well as anything connected to the human subtle body. She has published a book, “The Emerald Tablet: My 24-Day Journal to Understanding,” and is currently working on a book about the Tarot, pathworking and the Tree of Life. Raushanna documents her experiences and her daily card throws in her blog, DancingSparkles.blogspot.com, which has been in existence since 2009. She and her husband, her son and step son, and her numerous friends and large extended family can often be found on the beaches, bike paths and hiking trails of the Cape May, NJ area.