During lock-down, I made my own oracle deck when we hosted a livestream class with Ayesha Ophelia on how to make your own oracle cards. My deck contained concepts, images, and words that aligned with my personal symbology, so it was a deck I continued to return to for inspiration because it felt like having a conversation with my intuition.
Forget mass-produced tarot decks with their cookie-cutter archetypes. Create your own oracle deck that’s as unique as your fingerprint and as intimate as your diary. Think of it as crafting your spiritual divination tool, one index card at a time.
Because: why let others dictate the symbols that guide you? Craft an oracle deck that echoes your inner voice and aligns with your personal beliefs, practices & guides.
1. Gather Your Supplies
Before you dive into the ethereal world of oracles, you’ll need some earthly supplies. Arm yourself with a stack of blank index cards – these are your blank canvases. Next, gather your artistic arsenal: paints, pens, colored pencils, or magazines for those who prefer collaging. Remember, perfection is not the goal; expression is. Precision? Overrated. Authenticity? Non-negotiable. You can go digital too of course. Maybe you’ll even publish it after, but don’t make that the goal at first. This is for you.
2. Choosing Your Symbols
Your oracle deck should be a mirror of your soul, reflecting the symbols, animals, elements, archetypes, and spiritual guides that resonate with you. Is it the slyness of a fox, the resilience of a daisy, or the fierceness of fire that speaks to you? Maybe it’s The Rebel or The Dreamer archetypes that feel like your spiritual doppelgängers. Listen to your gut; it knows its stuff. You can write these down before starting on the cards, or create on the fly, card after card.
3. Creating Your Cards
Take an index card and let your creativity flow. This is where the magic happens. Each index card is a blank slate for your imagination. Draw your chosen symbol, or get messy with a collage. Remember, these cards aren’t auditioning for a gallery spot; they’re here to spill the tea on your inner world. Allow yourself to daydream and play while you create.
4. Infusing Meanings
With your images set, it’s time to infuse each card with its meaning. Either on a piece of paper, digital document, journal, or on the card itself, write what each image means to you, whether it’s a novel or just a couple of sassy words. Your deck, your narrative.
Repeat this process until you have a deck, maybe 20-60 cards.
5. The Shuffle
Your homemade oracle deck is ready to spill the cosmic tea. You can use it one card at a time by taking a moment to breathe, holding the deck in your hands. then shuffle the deck, or cut it three times. Now breathe again.
6. The Conversation Begins
Formulate a question or focus on a situation. Don’t have any pressing issues? Maybe ask, “What should I focus on today?” and then draw a card. You can lay out three at a time, one for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. Or one for you work, one for your love life, one for your family et cetera. Again: your deck, your rules.
You can use this with meditation, or on the fly. Or Questioning your latest life choices? Pull a card. Need some Monday motivation? Pull another. Let the images and your personal interpretations guide you. It’s like having a chat with your higher self
Your deck can be a visual diary, a spiritual guide, a mirror reflecting your inner truths. Each card is a conversation starter with your soul.
