Starry Beginnings Oracle

This galactic themed oracle deck is truly a work of art - from it's positive, uplifting messages to it's amazing visual appeal. It's creator, Cassi White, has tied the two together with a sense of unity and hope.

Kickstarter - Starry Beginnings

Where in the world do you call home?

Central Coast, on the east coast of Australia

What was your first experience with tarot or oracle and when did you fall in love with it?

My first experience was when I joined a beach meditation group, over ten years ago, and the lady that ran the group had a wide selection of oracle decks. Before each meditation, we would each choose an oracle deck that appealed to us and choose a card from the deck. The cards always gave me the messages I needed to hear. The intuitive guidance I received brought healing and reassurance to whatever situation or questions I needed help with.

I fell in love with oracle decks from then. Oracle cards are so easy to use, the messages bring clarity and positivity, and are empowering and healing. In times of anxiety and uncertainty, they help me find peace and comfort. I love that!

If I'd found oracle cards when I was younger, I believe it would have given me huge support for those times when life seems so difficult to navigate.

What made you want to create this deck? What was your inspiration?

Last year, I really stepped up my oracle card use. I was having difficulty dealing with my emotional self. As a super sensitive person, I found that each day I would ride the emotional roller coaster and it was very unsettling. So last March, I would make time every day to sit with my cards, intuitively choose the card that I needed and use its positive, empowering message to meditate with.

Creative writing is my passion, so after my meditating, I began automatic writing. Whatever messages came through me I would write down. The words flowed onto the page, I would read them back and found them to be healing and uplifting. They really helped me clear and balance my emotions, giving me unconditional love and healing, and the courage to step onto my own unique path.

I was guided to share these messages by creating my own oracle cards. They have a galactic theme, which I love, the information comes from beyond this world to heal humanity.

Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

I have lots of oracle decks that I love to work with - Archangel Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue, Flower Therapy Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue and Robert Reeves, Oracle of the Dragonfae by Lucy Cavendish, Animal Magic by Alexis Cartwright - but the one I use the most is the Liquid Crystal Oracle by Justin Moikeha Asar.

Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

It is difficult to choose, I love them all. If I had to choose, my absolute favourite card from my deck would be, number 28 - You are your greatest gift, Your life's journey is your masterpiece.

I love this card because it reminds us that we are all amazing, just as we are. That life, no matter the ups and downs, is a path of learning. We need to be supportive and loving of ourselves, no matter our mistakes. We are a gift, our journey is a gift - and to love, unconditionally, who we are.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

Working with the images was a challenge, it took time to get them the way I want so they are clear and beautiful for the deck. But I'm so happy with the way they turned out and know they will look amazing as oracle cards.

What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

Starry Beginnings is an oracle deck for everyone. It's easy to use. The channelled messages are powerfully uplifting, and the images are beautiful and draw you in to help connect with your intuitive self, bringing love, healing and positive messages into your life.

I also loved creating this deck. It's wonderful to see the mock images in their full colour and I can't wait to have them made into cards.

The messages for the cards are channelled, were you guided to create the cards based on galactic images to match the messages?

The channelled messages came first, and then I was guided to choose the galactic images that complement the messages.

How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

Good question. I really need to give that some thought. I can't wait to have my own deck in my hands, to let it work its magic on me. I would celebrate by taking my family out to dinner for a well earned meal. They've all had to put up with me putting all of my time into creating this deck. They love Starry Beginnings too, and have been very supportive in helping me on this creative journey.

What is on offer for people who pledge?

Backers will receive a copy of the 44-card deck with a 100 page guidebook in a sturdy 2-part box. The larger pledges offer a companion journal & 2 stickers in addition to the deck, if we meet the stretch goals the cards will be upgraded with holographic edging.

To get your hands on of these decks, click here: Starry Beginnings

Celtic Myth and Magic Tarot

Our latest interview is with Christabel, who has created a beautiful nature based deck that is also environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Unfortunately this kickstarter did not reach the required funding levels.

Where in the world do you call home?

Beautiful Sussex in the UK What was your first experience with tarot and when did you fall in love with it?

When I was a young teenager I fell in love with runes, tarot and myths about forces that shape our lives that we never see. The first reading I did for myself was a one card reading in which I drew the four of cups. I was going through really difficult times and that simple reading really taught me that life is all about what you make of things. I think that's helped me to always be grateful for what is already around me, even if life doesn't always feel like it's giving you the easiest journey :) What made you want to create this deck? What was your inspiration?

I wanted to create an earthy deck that connected people to the sense of magic and power you find in nature. The inspiration is everything Celtic- artwork, mythology, forces of nature, and British wildlife. I wanted to create a deck in which you didn't see any humans at all, animals take their place as the focus much of the time, as well as everything you'd find in nature.  Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

So many are so wonderful in different ways! I particularly like Vikings Tarot deck, as it has powerful images of the Nordic myths and gods. I'd love to make a deck based on those some day.  Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

I've loved drawing the Page/Knight/Queen/King for each suit, these are always based on powerful animals in accordance with the element associated for each, and its been lovely to draw them like a family for example a baby owl Page of Swords all the way up to fully grown wise Queen and King owls.  What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

Probably learning to use the various computer based programs to transform the artwork into actual cards! Drawing the deck itself has been an absolute joy, learning the technology side of things has been the challenge for me, but still a fun and creative one.  What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

That these cards have real power behind them. Each and every card took so much thought and care, hours of drawing and creative energy is poured into each card for it to go from a sketch into a finished piece. Each card to me is very special, so I suppose I want people to know they can have faith in the great energy this deck has to help and to guide them whenever they need support.  You make a point that you will use recycled shipping materials and try to source from small businesses with positive mission statements. How important is the environment and sustainability to you?

Hugely important! The whole ethos behind my deck is in connecting back to a culture that lived off the land, that regarded themselves as part of and in tandem with nature. I think it would be hugely hypocritical not to use sustainable materials for such a deck, and am delighted to say I have now found the perfect ethical FSC approved small business who use recycled materials, sustainable production methods, and even eco-friendly soy bean ink to print stunning and beautiful quality cards.  How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

I will send a grateful prayer to the Universe and then go and cuddle my cats :)  What is on offer for people who pledge?

Options ranging from three card sets and t-shirts, to the full tarot deck, all the way up to the original signed artwork and double sets of decks.

Materia Medica Oracle

Here's the perfect deck for herbalists, naturopaths, and anyone fascinated by herbs, plants and natural medicine:

Kickstarter - Materia Medica Oracle

Where in the world do you call home?

St. Paul, Minnesota.

What was your first experience with tarot and when did you fall in love with it?

I was introduced to tarot via Light Grey Art Lab, a gallery in Minneapolis. I took part in a travel program with them in 2017 where we hiked through Bryce Canyon in Utah, learned about astronomy, and spent a week on a farm reading tarot every morning. I fell in love with it pretty immediately. I was always drawn to mysticism, and my first reading there resonated so deeply that I’ve been hooked ever since.

What made you want to create this deck?What was your inspiration?

I’ve been self-studying herbalism for a little over a year, and around the time I started, I became wildly obsessed with drawing plants. I wanted to know everything about plants and how they’ve been used as medicine. I started to notice correspondences between plants and astrology when I started taking classes through the School for Evolutionary Herbalism. I realized that plant bodies were like a microcosm of our own bodies, and every plant became a metaphor. I really wanted to share this with other people, and thus the deck was born.

Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

I don’t think I’ve used enough decks to have a favorite! But I’ve been really interested in the Veleda Tarot Deck for its bold colors and plant symbolism. It feels very akin to the Materia Medica Oracle Deck. I also love the Fifth Spirit Tarot, which was just funded on Kickstarter! The Pagan Otherworlds deck is also great, along with everything Uusi puts out.

Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

Lately I’ve been trying to embody the Queen of Wands more. She’s a kickass lady who rules from the heart and knows how to use her talents to help others, and that’s something I really aspire to. From the Materia Medica Oracle, it sounds funny but I love the garlic card. Garlic teaches us a lot about our vital force and just going for it, grabbing life by the horns and showing up as our full selves. That’s something I’ve struggled with a lot in my life and once I made the connection between garlic and aries and put all the pieces together it gave me something to anchor my confidence on. I hope it does that for others, too.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

Truthfully, the size of the deck made figuring out the guidebook a bit difficult. I wanted something that was pocket-sized, so I went with a poker deck, but I still wanted to fit the guidebook in the box. Some of the printers I reached out to weren’t able to print at such a small size, and the ones I found that could were overseas. It felt really important to me to keep all the production in the United States for environmental reasons. Finally I was able to find a manufacturer that I’ve been really happy with, and I ended up splitting the guidebook into three volumes because there’s so much information to relay about these plants.

What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

I just hope people feel how much love went into this project. It feels like a flagship project for me, combining all of my interests into one. From drawing the plants to writing the book, there were many times during this process where it didn’t even feel like it was me doing it. It felt more like I was a vehicle for something that wanted to be brought into the world, and that feels really special. I really hope that comes through.

I love how you have combined the practical uses of plants with their spiritual implications. It’s a very unique view of herbalism. How much research went into this deck?

So much! Like I said, I’ve been self-studying for a little over a year, and just officially started herb school this month. While working on the deck, I spent at least 6 months with my nose in as many herbal resources as I could get my hands on, working directly with the herbs from the deck, and I also consulted with another herbalist, Britton of Archaic Honey, to make sure I got my facts straight. I will also say, although a ton of research went into this project, there was also a lot of intuitive work. A lot of the more emotional/spiritual aspects described in the guidebook came from sitting with the plants and doing some meditations to feel out what they were trying to say. That might sound a little woo, but we are talking about tarot, ha! I think intuitive work is just as valid and important as hard science, and it sometimes doesn’t get enough credit.

Your deck is very versatile, in that not only can it be used for divinatory purposes, it can also be used to identify plants in their natural environment. Do you think this will broaden your audience and perhaps introduce a spiritual world to people who may not have used oracle decks before?

That’s the hope! I’ve found that illustration has been a key component of my herbal studies, as illustrations are often more descriptive than simply seeing a photo of a plant in the field. Looking at illustrations, making illustrations of plants, these have helped me commit the plants to memory and I hope it helps others just the same. As for the spiritual aspect, yeah, I think it serves us all to take a second to think about our place in the world and consider our relationship to the natural world. Once we start to see ourselves reflected in the lives of plants, it reinforces the fact that we are nature. We’re not above anything or anyone. We don’t own the land, we don’t own the trees. They are sovereign beings with whom we share the earth. Once we have that understanding in regards to nature, it’s easy to translate into humanity and see that we are one, and that breeds compassion.

How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

Oh good question, I haven’t stopped to think about it! If I’m honest, probably just a nice hike, or a visit to some of my plant friends to say hello and thank you :)

What is on offer for people who pledge?

Backers can receive a copy of the deck for $30, 2 copies for $45. Folks at the $60 tier also receive a fancy poster of all the plants from the deck, some stickers, and a screen printed altar cloth. Altar cloths are available to everyone else as an add on for $15. I also have a couple of wholesale options for folks who would like to stock the deck in their shop!

To get you hands on one of these unique decks, pledge here:

Materia Medica Oracle