{ Three Card Monday }

Hi Y'all - I hope you had a great weekend, now let's see what we can accomplish this week!

Position 1: This card represents the effects of the situation on the mental level. Thoughts, perceptions, and awareness. - Knight of Swords - A powerful, creative force or life-changing person - bringing change and upheaval. The Knight of Swords is known for his courage and pursuit of justice - quick to react to opposition and challenge your philosophical viewpoints. This card is here to bring movement and change - and to remind us to sharpen our communication skills. 

Position 2: This card represents the effects of the situation on the physical level. Health, home, business, environment. - Six of Swords - this one is scary for people because it's the literal death card. It denotes a passing, this can be moving past hardships for progress, or actually grieving a loss...but it isn't a complete bummer. The six of swords signifies a change for the better and a shift from struggle to serenity - a transition towards enlightenment. Given the current climate of violence and wrong-doing in the world, I'm not surprised by this card. The lesson is move through our grief and put our energy towards righting the situation, to speak up for those who may not have a voice and to come from a place of love and healing with high intentions. Nothing remains the same, even though we may currently be in a SUPER SHITTY part of this life cycle, there is always change. 

Position 3: This card represents the effects of the situation on a spiritual level. Identity, passion, self-expression and karma. - Eight of Pentacles - This card signifies a foundation built from wisdom,experience, growth and productivity from hard work. It is really about being satisfied because you have created your own future - the reward for your hard work is the knowledge that you have done what you loved and have done it well. 

So, how does all of this tie together this week? We are going to accept the challenges of this week with our mental agility and we will be ready to make necessary changes. We will approach the our current environment with compassion, courage and grace - allow ourselves to experience sadness and to heal, but also step forward to create a better future. And finally, we will put our working energy towards things which we truly feel passionate about - we will learn the shit out of that thing, master the shit out of that thing and then we will bask in the glory of being awesome. 

{ Three Card Monday }

Hi Y'all - I thought it would be nice to start the week off with a nice, three-card pull - LET'S DO THIS!

So, our Past card represents past conditions, influences or energies - it's up to you if this is something you need to focus on and utilize or let go of and release. Today it is the Eight of Wands - a card signifying movement, being busy and making progress - an action card, if you will. So, you can either harness this busy-ass energy and keep up the momentum, or you might need to slow your ass down a bit and take in all the awesome progress you have made so far. You know yourself better than I do, so you do you!

Our Present card is representative of present conditions, influences and energies. Today we have the Eight of Cups, a card which tends to bum people out - but which can provide some valuable insight. This card signifies endings - and being a cup card, relates to our emotions and heartfelt, tender areas. Maybe we are in the throes of grieving a relationship which has ended, or maybe we are in a creative funk...while we grieve things which have ended and search for our true selves, we reminded by the presence of the moon in this deck that there is always a full cycle, endings and beginnings together. There is hope for spiritual growth and fulfillment. Hang in there, sweet pumpkins. We may have to sit with this one for a bit, but it will turn around, it always does.

Our final card represents the Future, or a possible outcome for us. Today we have The Empress, which is awesome because she does not fuck around. This Empress is an embodiment of love for sure, but also of authority - she is The Mother, representative of fertility, devotion and love. This is a super powerful card, reminding us that we have a responsibility to use the power we have with compassion and kindness - and to keep ourselves in balance with self care. It reminds me of that old saying about oxygen masks - that you have to put one on yourself before you can help others on with theirs. It's true! Take care of yourself - really do it and you will get your shit together!

{ Tarot Happy Hour At Oracle! }

Oracle is having a Tarot Happy Hour this Friday, September 16 from 4:00pm-7:00pm!! We are doing some fun stuff including - but not limited to:

* Three card tarot readings for $8!

* Eight card tarot readings  for $20! 

 * Tutorials for reading your own deck!

* Discussion and Q&A about Tarot, symbolism in art and intuitive practices!

* Refreshments!! Naughty and Nice ones!!

 It's gonna be super fun, y'all - let us know you are coming!

~ A Personal Interlude About Tarot For Noobs ~

The art was my hook.

I was raised Catholic in a small, predominantly Baptist area. If you know anything about either of these two religious practices, Dear Reader, it will not surprise you one bit that my friends, family and peers were not super into Tarot or anything remotely Occult adjacent. That said, my cousin Mark did have a item of contraband in his possession, the Rider Waite Tarot deck and when I first laid eyes on it I was instantly transfixed by the artwork on these cards. Wooooo boy, let me tell you, I LOVED the art. And, as an added bonus, handling the cards did not cause me to spontaneously burst into flames, swear allegiance to the will of Satan or even make me want to murder a little bit - all of which being completely reasonable fears associated with Tarot. The Star in particular was my favorite, a nude woman holding two pitchers of water and kneeling while she poured the contents onto the ground and a small body of water. I had no idea what the images on the cards meant or how to read them, but I was determined to get Tarot cards of my own and figure it out. I purchased my first deck, also a Rider Waite, when I was 15 years old and kept it hidden in my sock drawer, like you do.

Turns out, I am a slow learner. My cards stayed in my sock drawer (metaphorically speaking) until I was 33 and met my dear friend Amy Markham (awesome artist and my Tarot Yoda) and her gift for reading Tarot (plus her gorgeous deck of cards) re-ignited the spark that had struck me years ago. I've been learning how to read Tarot for the last ten years - practicing on friends and family when they will let me. I am consistently blown away by the way a reading will shift my perspective, offer sound guidance and be so eerily spot-on. I am enthralled with the depth of insight tarot readings provide and true to my magpie tendencies, I am still collecting decks for their beautiful artwork. My education has continued by way of having incredible and intuitive friends who are very skilled Tarot readers (Rita Brinkerhoff, Carrie Parker, Alessandra Dzuba, Madison Joy and of course Amy Markham - I AM LOOKING AT YOU!) all of whom have been so patient and generous with their time and knowledge.

Maybe you are like me. Maybe you didn't grow up with these practices or traditions but find yourself inexplicably drawn to Tarot and other intuitive fields. Maybe you are normally a very rational person and the idea of handling some attractive cards to gain insight into a particular issue seems silly...AND YET...you want to do it anyway. Maybe you just love the art.

Either way, we hope that you join us on Friday!!

{ Nightbirds - September 29 }

We are so excited to announce this incredible event!! Molly Healey is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter and she is bringing her beautiful music to Oracle! It's going to be a wonderful night - $12 admission at the door, we will have cocktails, wine and seating - this musical event will be held on Thursday, September 29th - Ms. Healey will play two 45 minute sets beginning at 7:00pm, our doors open at 6:30 pm.

For more information about Molly Healey and her music, visit here!

{ Sweet Destructor }

Hi Y'all!! We are looking forward to a GREAT First Friday this week - Skeleton Key Tarot will be in the house from 6-9 doing single card and four card readings! Also, we are psyched that ceramic artist Sweet Destructor is coming to Oracle for a pop-up shop from 6-9! 

{ Open Sundays! }

Hi Y'all - just a quick announcement about our end of summer business hours, we have expanded them! Friday and Saturday we are open from 11:00 am - 7:00 pm. and  Sundays from 11:00am - 3:00pm - come say hi and check out our excellent selection of natural science specimens, taxidermy, framed insects and butterflies, skeleton articulations, skulls, bones, crystals, sage (and witchy shit)!!

Felicien Rops