No, not all oracle cards are the same. Oracle decks can vary quite widely from the number of cards included in the deck to the themes the deck focuses on. You’ll also see all types of artwork styles from image manipulation to photography to illustrations. The styling of messaging and the suites or structure the oracle deck uses will also vary.
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How Are Oracle Decks Different?
I wanted to break down some of the specifics of how oracle card decks are different using examples from my own collection and some of my favorite decks. The major differences you’ll find are the artwork styles, number of cards, messaging, themes, and suites or structure.
Artwork & Artwork Style
Artwork style will vary wildly from one deck to the next. For example, the Nature’s Wisdom Oracle has very realistic illustrations and simplistic card backs. The Literary Witches Oracle on the other hand has minimalistic monochromatic sketches and uses very little color beyond black and white.
You may find that authors of multiple decks do have a generally recognizable style across their decks. From my collection, the Rebecca Campbell decks have a recognizable style that uses photo manipulation.
Number of Cards
The number of cards in each oracle deck will also vary from deck to deck. Looking at the four decks I grabbed from my shelf I have two with 48 cards, one with 53 cards, and another with 70 cards.
Most oracle card decks will include somewhere between 35 and 70 cards.
Messaging
The messaging of your oracle card decks will varying and it’s important that you as a person align with your deck or you’ll quickly find that you aren’t connecting with your deck or your readings.
Often times I find oracle decks to be more pleasant, optimistic, and uplifting than tarot or Lenormand. However, you will come across a deck that either feels too blunt and impersonal or too esoteric and intuitive.
Themes
The theme will vary from deck to deck, giving you plenty of opportunities to find oracle decks that appeal to you. There are quite a few plants, animal, to nature-themed oracle decks. You can also track down quite a few astrology and cosmic-themed decks. A good way to begin searching for an oracle deck is to pick out a theme you’re interested in. These could be anything from unicorns to angels.
Suites or Structure
The suites and structure of oracle decks aren’t uniform across all decks as with tarot. You’ll find each deck has its own structure. Some have suites and some do not. There are a few decks, like Karma Cards, that require you to read them a specific way.
You’ll want to learn as much as you can about an oracle deck’s suites or structure to better determine if it could be a good fit for you.
How to Pick the Right Oracle Card Deck for You
Your best option for picking an oracle deck that is right for you is to go in person to a metaphysical shop that has test decks laid out for your to flip through. This will let you get up close and personal to decks to see their artwork and each of the cards. However, you won’t have access to all that many decks even if your favorite shop does have open decks for you to browse.
Your next best option is to look at reviews, both written and filmed, to see what others thought and to see more of the deck beyond the promo images.
