"It’s time to be uplifted and liberated to take your next step towards passionate purpose and divine destiny."

Alana Fairchild

When I was younger, my grandmother and I would choose cards from her Angel Card deck and snuggle up to talk about what they could mean. I have always valued the memories of those times, and nowadays, I own a few different decks, including The Goddess Oracle, Animal Medicine Cards, and Wild Kuan Yin. Like tarot, oracle cards are great tools that you can use to find out information and gain insight to situations. For those new to oracle cards, I thought I would give a brief tutorial on how to use them!

Find a time and space where you feel at peace, without outside distractions (cellphones, loud music, television, etc.) I like to use oracle cards before or after meditation, or sometimes I will spread them out on my bed before I go to sleep.

Take the deck in your hands and shuffle while focusing on your intention behind drawing cards... What areas in my life do I need guidance in? What am I not paying attention to? What information am I in need of? The questions can be vague or specific. Although most of the time I ask for general guidance in life, other times I will use a specific spread. My favorite spread is to have three categories I draw for: what guidance do I need in my personal life, what guidance do I need in my romantic life, and what guidance do I need in my work life. Many oracle card books suggest alternate spreads, so feel free to experiment and use ones that work best for you at that time!

Once shuffled and intention decided upon, spread the cards out in front of you face down. To chose a card, there are a variety of techniques. I like to close my eyes, slowly sweep my hand over the cards, and see which ones my hand touches down on. My close friend is a very visual person, so she can which cards she should select just through looking. Another friend has a strong inner compass, and feels directed to the cards she needs. With practice, you will feel your intuition grow and find which technique works best for you. With general questions, and occasionally with spreads, you will find yourself drawn to multiple cards. This is okay! I have found some days I only need one card, others I pick out half a dozen!

Once you have selected your card(s), set the others aside. Turn over what you have selected, and use your reference book (usually included within the deck box) to decode the message. Some information is easier to decode than others, so if you feel puzzled, I like to write down what cards I have drawn and study them for a few days.Other times, I have even texted my friends asking for their interpretations!

If you draw cards often, you might find a certain card pops up more frequently than the others. With The Goddess Oracle deck, I chose Sophia so often that it seems to pop up almost every other drawing! This card is important to you and your life's journey, and likely is information you should always keep in the forefront of your mind. Pay attention!

Oracle cards can be wonderful tools to help you learn more about yourself and guide you when you feel lost, but they can also be a fun thing to do with your friends! On nights-in with friends, we will pour some wine, spread out the cards, and all pick one! It is interesting to see which cards everyone chooses, and gives a little insight!

My favorite oracle card drawing was when I once asked for specific information about the future of a relationship. It wasn't really something I wanted a direct answer for, but curiosity got the best of me... I found myself drawing seven Goddess cards, and when I turned them over, I started laughing. The cards told me to enjoy the amazing present, leave it a mystery, trust in the way of life, and to mind my own dang business! These ladies have some sass!

Do you have any experiences with oracle cards? What was your most powerful reading?