Vintage Wisdom Oracle
Author: Victoria Moseley
Artwork: Collage
U.S. Games Systems Inc.
2014
1-978-1572817814
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Anais Nin (from the cover page)
I could sit and meditate on the box cover to the Vintage Wisdom Oracle forever … it is just that well done! I love the sepia tone, the ethereal feel, and the gold embossing. I have to remember to refer to it as the “Vintage” Wisdom Oracle, because to me it has a distinctive Victorian feel, and I love the Victorian era! (The cover image is that of the card entitled “Dreams” – how apropos!)
The set consists of 52 cards and an 80 page guidebook, housed in a sturdy cardboard lift-top box. There is a lovely back story to this deck – it is part of an “unplanned journey” for Moseley – one that evolved over several years, one of moving from the field of interior design to the exploration and development of her own intuitive gifts. Somewhere along the line a vintage-inspired greeting card company was launched, and this lovely deck came into being!
The oracle is feminine in nature, using the inspiration of goddesses, divas, and etheric muses. It combines illustrations from vintage French postcards with old sepia-toned photographs, wild flowers, nature totems, and delicate vintage lace (I dearly love old lace!). I love that Moseley also used elements from historic painters such as John Waterhouse and Vincent Van Gogh.
The guidebook presents the cards in text only, no images. The story of each card is told in a very evocative fashion. From “Abundance”: “Here we see a depiction of Pomona, the Roman goddess of abundance and harvest of the ripe fruits and fields. She is adorned with all manner of wildflowers and forest flora, as if to celebrate the yield of nature’s bounty. Butterflies dance around her, representing transformation and a lightness of being.”
Included such thoughts as Ancestors, Divine Timing, Centering, Strength, and Wisdom. At the end of the guidebook we find a section on how to use the cards, and how to perform a reading. Five unique spreads are presented: the Four-Leaf Clover Spread, the Spyglass Spread, the Penny Farthing Spread, the Walled Garden Spread, and the Chatelaine Spread. The cover for the guidebook carries the image from the card Awakening.
The cards are 3 ¾” by 5 ½”, of glossy card stock. The backs are sepia toned, surrounding a central female face. They are not reversible. The faces show a ¼” colored border, surrounding a central image. The card title is written across the bottom of the card.
The cards are absolutely entrancing! Perception shows a vintage ballerina, on stage, with her arms raised, holding a mask in her right hand. She stands in front of a red curtain, framed between two ivory pillars. Theater masks (comedy and tragedy) appear in the upper right and left hand corners of the card.
Intuition draws the reader in immediately, showing an image of the Greek Goddess Selene in the foreground, a white dove resting on her shoulder. Behind her we see a river in moonlight.
Intention features a woman in a purple dress, holding a vessel of water. She is steadily pouring the water into the ether.
Gentleness features a veiled ghost bride walking through the forest. An escort of doves flies around her, guiding her journey.
Expression shows a muse, her face concealed behind a gossamer veil. Her intense gaze and headdress are evocative of the Egyptian goddess Isis, goddess of the Divine Feminine.
Enchantment features a mermaid relaxing on a rock as she combs her hair. It is dusk, and a peaceful time.
I love the layers of imagery and intent in each of these cards, and found them very easy to work with. Each reader will take their own journey in reading with this deck – they need to be prepared to go deeply into their own intuition!
© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.
Bonnie Cehovet 