So, the other day I was itching to get into something new, and I remembered I had this Oak Ash Thorn tarot deck lying around. I’d bought it a while back because, well, it looked pretty cool, all minimalist and with those shiny rainbow foil edges. Plus, it came with a guidebook, which is handy because I’m no tarot expert.
First thing I did was unpack the deck. It’s got 78 cards in total, just like a regular tarot deck – 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, nothing new there. I spent some time just shuffling them, getting a feel for the cards. They’re a bit stiff at first, but they shuffle okay. I noticed each card has these nature themes, with different woodland animals. Pretty neat touch, I gotta say.
Next, I cracked open the guidebook. It’s actually pretty well-written, considering it’s aimed at both beginners and folks who know their way around a tarot deck. I started reading through the meanings of the Major Arcana cards. You know, the big ones like The Fool, The Magician, and Death. The book does a decent job of explaining the symbolism and what each card might mean in a reading.
- I spent a good chunk of the afternoon just going through each card, looking at the artwork, and reading the descriptions.
- One thing I realized is that the artwork, while simple, is actually pretty evocative.
- It got me thinking about the connections between nature, animals, and the kind of archetypal energies that tarot is supposed to tap into.
After familiarizing myself with the cards, I decided to try a simple three-card spread. You know, past, present, future kind of deal. I shuffled the deck while focusing on a question I had about a personal project I was working on. I laid out the cards, and then referred back to the guidebook to see what they might mean. It was a little tricky at first, trying to piece together the meanings of the individual cards into a coherent narrative. It took a few tries, and flipping back and forth between the cards and the book.
Getting a Feel for the Cards
I kept practicing with these simple spreads, and also tried a few of the other layouts suggested in the guidebook. Some of them are a bit more complex, with like ten or more cards. I’m not quite there yet, but I can see how these bigger spreads might offer a more detailed picture.
Honestly, it’s been a pretty chill experience so far. I’m not sure I’m “reading” the cards with any real accuracy yet, but it’s definitely making me think more deeply about things. And it’s a nice way to disconnect from all the digital noise for a while, you know? Just me, the cards, and a bit of quiet reflection. I’m thinking maybe these cards are more about just getting you to pay attention to what’s going on inside your head, rather than like, predicting the future with 100% accuracy. I saw someone online saying something about Rider Waite and Osho Zen cards being good for beginners, so maybe I’ll check those out too. No rush though. But I guess if you’re looking for a sign to try something new, this might be it.
