So last Tuesday I was scrolling through Insta when this ad pops up showing these gorgeous oracle cards with waterfalls and moon phases. Totally impulse-bought ’em right then. Big mistake? Maybe not? Let me walk you through my whole hot mess journey.
The “I Got This!” Phase
Cards arrived Friday. Tore open the box like a kid at Christmas. Spread ’em out on my kitchen table – looked SO pretty. Felt inspired to do a reading about my job situation immediately. Pulled three cards randomly: “Flow”, “Stillness”, and “Rebirth”. Problem? I had ZERO clue what any meant for my actual question. Tried winging it:
- Stared at “Flow” – “Uh… maybe go with the… flow?”
- “Stillness” – “Should I… chill?”
- “Rebirth” – “Quit and find a new career?!”
Felt super lost. Pictures were beautiful but gave me 50 possible meanings. Googled interpretations for hours – every website said something different. Got overwhelmed, shoved the cards back in the box. Frustrating start.
Dusting Off My Forgotten Tarot Deck
Remembered I bought a classic Rider-Waite deck last year. Found it buried under old cookbooks. Cracked open the little white booklet. Shockingly useful! Tried another 3-card spread about my job:
- Three of Pentacles (booklet said teamwork/crafting skills)
- Two of Swords (stalemate/avoiding decision)
- The Sun (success/happiness – thank god!)
The symbols actually made sense! The pentacles looked like coins – money/work stuff. Swords? Conflict. Sun? Obvious good vibes. Didn’t need to consult Google for basic meanings. Even messed up the “reversed” card thing (whoops), but the core images guided me way better than oracle’s abstract art. Finished that reading feeling like I’d actually understood something concrete.
Side-by-Side Real Talk
Pulled both decks out again. Tested them on simple yes/no questions like “Should I take that freelance gig?”
- Oracle: Drew “The Muse” (Create! Do it!). Short and sweet… but lacked context. What kind of gig? Risks? Budget? Nice pep talk, not practical advice.
- Tarot: Drew the Six of Wands (success/public recognition). Made me think: “This gig could boost my portfolio.” Then drew the Seven of Cups (choices/illusions) upside down. Instantly thought: “Clarity! Maybe avoid shady contracts.” Way more actionable insight.
Key difference hit me: Tarot gave structure; oracle gave vibes.
My Final Verdict (For Total Newbies)
If I could rewind to last Tuesday? I’d smack Past Me’s hand away from buying oracle cards first. Start with tarot. Period. Why?
- The pictures tell literal stories. Swords = conflict, Cups = feelings, Pentacles = money/work. Easy hooks for your brain.
- Guidebooks are actually useful. Rider-Waite’s tiny book breaks down meanings clearly vs. oracle’s often poetic/fluffy interpretations.
- Structure forces learning. Major Arcana vs Minor, suits, court cards – it’s a system. Systems make patterns easier to grasp. Oracle’s 100% winging it.
Spent Sunday just practicing the darn tarot suits. Felt like I actually learned something. Oracle’s lovely for mood or quick hits later on? For sure. But tarot is your sturdy training wheels. Learn that bike first. Don’t be me staring at a waterfall wondering if it means I need a raise.
