Tarot vs Oracles

What’s the big difference?

I like to think of the Tarot and Oracle relating to the left and right sides of the brain.

Left Side (Logical)

The Tarot is systematic, logical and only has 78 cards. Tarot has 22 Majors which represent The Fool’s Journey start to finish and 56 Minors or Pip cards that relate to personalities and everyday situations. The Tarot is the older of the two traditions and requires memorization to be effective. Intuition does come into play with Tarot but it is mixed with the study and structure of its history.

Right Side (Intuitive)

Oracle decks are less traditional and have varying themes and meanings. They do not have a set amount of cards in each deck or a set structure. They are read intuitively and leave interpretation to the user in some cases. Where as Tarot is a consistent system that can be read with any version of a Tarot deck, Oracles are unique to themselves. Oracles have specific themes and purposes that do no translate between different deckS usually. 

 Personal Preference

I got my hands on my first Tarot deck and book when I was 14. I love the history and student aspect of Tarot. I took the time to learn Tarot like it was my job (which it is now). My Cancer ascending sign makes me a lover of anything with a rich history so I think it’s safe to say that Tarot is my main dish. That being said I do own BOTH! I have different uses for both Tarot and Oracle decks. For personal readings and client readings I use primarily Tarot. I have about 30 different Tarot decks that I keep in rotation so things never get stale (Venus in Gemini). I love to use Oracle decks for meditation, visualization, scrapbooking and journaling. Sometimes when doing daily readings I like to pull one card from the Tarot and one card from an Oracle just depending on my mood.

Which is right for you? 

-Is there one you feel more drawn to? Tarot or Oracle?

-Do you like structure or are you more loosey goosey?

-Do you have time to devote to study or are you getting in spirit time in between work, school and family?

-Does the idea of 78 cards feel overwhelming? Yes/No

-Are you planning to use your cards in conjunction with another spiritual practice? Yes/No

-Are you a details person or a big picture person?

{Maybe you’re meant to work with both!}

Questions? Thoughts? Drop me a comment! Let’s Chat. Head over to my STORE to purchase prints!

XOXO Chelsea