The Difference Between Oracle Cards and Tarot Cards
You want to get yourself a tarot deck, but you’ve also heard about oracle cards, so which one should you go for?
Although the two are very similar, there are some key distinctions between oracle decks and tarot cards that you’ll need to take into consideration when choosing your new deck.
Are you a beginner to divination?
As much as I love tarot decks, I have to agree that oracle cards are easier to read for the beginner.
Unlike tarot, oracle decks generally have fewer cards. I say generally because oracle cards don’t have to stick to a set number like tarot does; the decks can contain however many cards the creator wants, and sometimes you might even get more than the 78 cards in a standard tarot deck.
Fewer cards mean less information for your brain to try and process and make sense of.
For beginners, fewer cards may seem more manageable than being faced with 78 different cards and their many meanings.
Something that also helps with reading oracle cards is that they usually have their messages printed on the front. These messages usually serve as affirmations or advice; they aren’t as cryptic as the messages of the tarot, so they lend themselves nicely to simple one-card readings.
One of the most daunting things for tarot newbies is memorising all 78 meanings of each card of the tarot deck. Not to mention, those meanings can change and shift depending on the other cards in the spread. Oracle card readings help to bypass that and give people a softer introduction to divination cards.
What do you want to gain from your readings?
This is a biggie because the different types of divination decks offer different outcomes. With tarot decks, you will receive a detailed and personal reading. The cards are designed to dig deep and leave as much room open to interpretation and exploration as possible.
Oracle cards are more generalised; they are usually limited in how they convey more complex themes and ideas. Often, oracle decks will revolve around a theme, whether it’s self-care, the moon or astrology. This can be great if those things are something you want to focus on in your reading, but if you want something that’s going to feel more open, then tarot is your tool.
I like to have a few tarot AND oracle decks, which means I can pick the deck that best suits what I need then and there. For example, I may wake up and think, ‘What should I focus on during this full moon?’ so I’ll grab a card from my Moonology oracle deck. However, I like to do a tarot reading for myself every weekend to help check in, reflect on what I’ve worked through, take note of where I am and plan for where I’m going.
How much time do you have to spend on your readings?
There’s no doubt about it, tarot readings take more time than oracle readings, but they are also a lot more flexible in what you can do with them. You can pull any number of cards you like, but they work best with three or more.
Oracle decks, because of how much easier they are to read, can be a much quicker option. If you’re a busy person, then oracle cards may be the best for your daily divination. If you’re a complete beginner and feel intimidated by tarot cards, then again, oracle cards may be your gateway divination tool.
So which ones should you choose?
Tarot Cards: Best for those who feel like they need all the details, who want to really delve into divination and be able to fully connect with their subconscious and inner selves.
Oracle Cards: Best for absolute spiritual beginners who just want a simple and easy way to give themselves goals or affirmations for the day, week, month or year.
If you’re interested in testing both tools out, then I recommend hopping on my free, self-led Tarot Journaling workshop. All the tasks are designed to work with both tarot and oracle cards, helping give you a framework with which to experiment more with both and get a feel for which ones you might want to work more with.
Just click the button below to sign up and get started!
