Oracle vs Tarot Cards

The Difference Between Tarot & Oracle Cards

Introduction

If you happen to be newly aligning with divination, tarot and oracle card readings, one of the most common questions that arises is, how are oracle cards different from tarot?

Depending on one's intention, direction of information wanted, or even possibly a lack of specificity, a willingness or openness to be guided from any direction, you might find that an oracle reading will serve you a greater purpose.

I find Oracle Cards quite unique because, unlike tarot cards that are the same archetypes, Oracle Cards are channeled uniquely from each creator of the card deck. And each card deck can be completely different from one another. Different themes, different archetypes, different subjects, different motives, different influences. Vast context from angel messages, shadow work messages, fairy realms, and many more..

Structure & Theme

Oracle is freeform besides the theme that the creator of the cards comes up with. Tarot and Oracle will always have a theme. Whether it's a psychedelic vibe, fairy vibe, Angelic, Mystical, Japanese, Native, etc. (There are hundreds) But Oracle cards do not have any set number of cards.. Unlike Tarot, which will have no less than 78 cards in each deck, usually. Every time we come across a Oracle deck they might have anywhere from 10 cards to 50 or more. It just depends on the channeling of the creator of the cards. There are no suits. No standardized layout. It's just based purely off the theme. (Angel's, chakras, animals, goddesses, shadow, shaman, etc)

No Suits

When I say a suit, tarot cards have suits. Like the major arcana. For example: the death, tower, sun, and moon card. There are 23 major arcana. The suits are cups, wands, swords, and pentacles. There are 4 suits in each tarot deck. No matter the deck.. But the suits all have a standard definition according to the archetypes that have been created over the centuries. Oracle cards do not have suits. They are constructed solely by unique messages within each card.

Tarot cards have a theme, but they always have some sort of consistent message because of the suits. Even if the suits are interpreted or relayed in a way that ties back to the theme.

For example: The Death card is always going to be the Death card. The Three of Cups is always going to be the Three of Cups. The Ten of Wands is always going to be the Ten of Wands. But, because of the theme, the message may always be interpreted differently, or with the essence of the theme. There's always a way that we can interpret each suit and number differently, and its meaning, especially across themes. 

With oracle cards - there is no specific suit to draw from. So the messages depend on, or are created, from the creator of the card deck. Oracle cards can be very unique and expressive, depending on the theme..

I have 3 oracle decks. One is based on Shadow work, with messages that are attuned to specific aspects of Shadow work. Another deck that consists of angel messages. From popular angels known in the Bible and beyond. With specific messages that relate to the path of that angel. My third deck is a shaman deck. With messages that relate to shamanism.

All of the messages from Oracle cards are channeled messages. Unique, and created from scratch - unlike tarot whose messages are based upon the suit, and the number of the suit.

Intuition and Creativity

When it comes to Oracle Cards, Intuition can play a deeper role. Of course, Intuition plays roles in both Tarot and Oracle Cards. But, since Oracle Cards are so expressive, unique, and creative, they open a doorway of messages that tarot cards sometimes can't provide..

For example: If you're feeling more mystical or want some mystical guidance, you can pull from a fairy or shaman oracle deck. If you're feeling like you need more of an angelic guidance, you can pull from an angel deck. If you want more of an earthy or a human vibe, you can pull from an earth oracle deck. Each unique deck and its messages will pull you towards it because of your alignment..

Then you can also combine an oracle card with a tarot reading. For example: You may pull an angel message that says “you know what to do, trust yourself.” Then let's say you pull tarot cards in relation to that Oracle card if you want more clarity or to dissect that message itself. 

Lets say the next cards you pull are a Tower and Death card underneath that Angel message - this shows that you might need to think of something differently or collapse something, whether that's external or internal and then transformation might occur. But when the Angel message says, you know what to do, trust yourself, it's probably pointing to the fact that you already know this in advance. Or have been wrestling with this Insight already. You might just be denying what you have to do, or what you know..

Conclusion

Tarot is like a mathematician, numerologist, or engineer giving guidance through equations and structure - the final product is a building that has a theme from an interior designer..

Oracle cards are like a painter or an artist that gives expression and meaning through intuition. The final product is a museum with their channeled expressions, and creation..

If they are used in combination. Tarot is the building and architecture. Oracle is the artwork and creative expression that fills the rooms..

Conclusion pt.2

If interested. We have Oracle card readings, and tarot card readings underneath our services tab on this website. There are several types of readings to choose from. Each Reading has different price levels to reflect the level of depth the Reading will go into. And they all come with their own custom journal prompts according to your reading and circumstance. Everyone has the choice to make an integration phone call where we can dive deeper together into your circumstance and life situations together, to gain more advice, and clarity

Infinite Love, if you ever feel called to get a Tarot or Oracle card reading, feel free to head over to our Tarot services section!