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Title: Coven Oracle
Author by: Fiona Horne
Artist: Miriam Ocaña Pérez-Cerdá
Publisher: Rockpool Publishing
Number of cards: 36
Card size: 5 x 3.5 in
Box size: 5.25 x 4.75 x 1.25 in approx
Guidebook pages: 124
Purchased or gifted?: review copy gifted by Rockpool Publishing
Absolute favorite card: Ancestral Roots
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved): Dream Weaving, Flame of Attraction, Peace Practice, Reaper’s Gift
Notable detail: Bright green edges
Season: Winter
Sabbat: All
Sign: Aquarius
Element: Spirit
Deck compliment: Tarot Chimera
Collective Pull: Torch Bearer

Add to Your Altar

First Impressions

There is much to love about this deck on a first pass. For one, it is quite striking. The green foil accents on both the box and the cards are exquisite. It’s a minimal black and white deck and yet, it doesn’t feel like it at all. The green really makes this whole project pop even though it's only seen in strategic places. I think it's because it features so heavily on an otherwise black box. It’s the first thing you see and then you get this amazing surprise of green gilded edges when you take it out of the box. Plus the beautiful green printed band which Rockpool is really excelling at by the way. Overall, we’re off to a good start but let’s dig in and see if this is a deck you’ll want to add to your altar.

The Packaging

Well you know that I love the packaging. The box is black with white printing and then a whole lot of bright green. You see that same striking color inside of the box but this time with a leaf pattern added as well as phrases inside of both the top and bottom of the box. One thing that I love is the printed floral motif on the bottom of the box and a more elaborate scene on the top (scroll to photos to see more). That’s a nice surprise as Rockpool doesn’t do that too often.

As always with Rockpool, the box is nice and sturdy. It’s a two piece box with thumb holes to make it easier to open and it's a good size that’s perfect for storing without taking up too much space.

The cards are nice and thick too and shuffle well. Sometimes gilded edged cards get stuck but Rockpool doesn’t really seem to have this problem at all. The cards are basically matte but they do have a slight sheen to them however, they aren’t very reflective which is nice.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is entirely in black and white which would normally irritate me but I think it works well here. This whole deck is essentially black and white so it fits the theme and it's clearly a stylistic choice as Rockpool usually has full color guidebooks. Inside the guidebook, you will find:

An introduction
How to use the cards
Consecrating the deck
A couple of blessings
Eleven spreads (although three of which are single card pulls)
And a final offering

The spread offering is quite well rounded. You’ll find a selection of spreads for various celestial events, ones for solo work and some for working with a coven. In terms of spreads, you really can’t ask for more. It’s certainly everything you would need for a spiritual practice.

For each card, you have the name, some keywords and then the interpretation is broken up into two parts. The first part is for a coven which covers the vast majority of the interpretation. This is also where you’ll find a description of the image. The second part is an interpretation for you as a solo person. This is quite unique. In fact, I’m not sure that I’ve seen another deck which incorporates coven work like this. I definitely haven’t worked with one so if you do belong to a coven, this one might be fun to introduce.

Theme

As you might have guessed, this deck is all about working with a coven for shared spiritual craft and you can see a lot of thought went into developing the system in this way. However, you don’t have to belong to a coven to use this deck. Fiona notes that you can use it as a solo practitioner to understand “how group dynamics show up” in your own life. It’s clever. Fiona always has a wonderful perspective and great ideas. Her last deck, Lost Oracle is one of my absolute favorites of all time. I don’t work with a coven but I love the idea of a deck that is made specifically for group work.

The Artwork

Ok, let’s dig into artwork. I’ve said several times that this deck is completely white and black but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of detail. Quite the opposite as each card has a lot of intricate line work. One thing you’ll see a lot of are blank faces to represent the coven. There are some faces that are much more detailed but many only feature two lines for eyes and a small, sharp nose. It’s almost as if they represent background noise.

My favorite card is Ancestral Roots which also features ones of these blank faces up in a tree. I love the connection between the person and the tree. The person feels like a big part of the tree rather than just sitting in it. I also really love Peace Practice mostly because of what I feel it represents. I’ve never liked that whole “hex the patriarchy” movement. I don’t like hexing at all but that movement specifically seemed vengeful. I get the reasons behind it of course but I don’t think doing harm to others is ever the answer rather its physical harm or cursing. So I have always advocated for peace and I love to see a coven that does the same.

“Above all, may Coven Oracle help you meet yourself more fully – and in doing so, meet your covenmates, your craft, and the divine mysteries of witchcraft with open arms.”

To be clear, of course not all covens are advocating for hurting people but sometimes I think the witch community really leans into those stereotypes. And it's a shame really because I think the people who do represent a very vocal minority and do not represent the vast majority of witches. But of course, no one sees the good. They see the version which most supports the narrative they want to believe.

However, this deck is pretty positive and I think things like this go a long way towards changing the negative optics. It may seem small but it's important to acknowledge the beauty that can come out of being a witch, fully supported by her coven.

Ok, enough of that. Be sure to scroll down through the whole page to see photos of all of the wonderful cards in this deck.

Own Coven Oracle

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose winter for the season because of the black and white nature of the deck. Minimal decks like this always remind me of the bareness of winter. Of stripping away everything that isn’t necessary to serve the purpose more so than the aesthetic. Also, there are a lot of naked trees and branches featured throughout the deck so it seems fitting.

I chose Aquarius for the zodiac sign because Aquarius is the sign of the individual but also of leadership and community. Aquarius is associated with friendships and guiding others which sounds just like a coven to me. Aquarius is also associated with uniqueness and authenticity and standing out from the crowd and I mean, as a witch, you’re probably not going to fit in with the masses. So this deck holds space for all that Aquarius is.

I chose all of the sabbats for this deck. I think sabbat work is really coven work. I might be inclined to say all sabbats except for Imbolc which I typically consider a solo sabbat but you can certainly celebrate Imbolc with a coven.

Finally, I chose spirit for the element mostly because a coven will work with all elements, not just one usually. And spirit is the totality of all elements coming together, just like a coven has individuals coming together to form a whole.

Collective Pull

I pulled Torch Bearer for you. This is a card about leadership but more importantly, about understanding what leadership actually means. To be a leader doesn’t only mean to be in charge. It means recognizing what needs to be done to serve the greater good, even if that at times means having to step down and let someone else lead. Some might believe being a leader means your rule is law but really, a true leader is or at least should be, the most selfless of a group. It should be someone who can hold space for the many, choosing to put personal feelings and desires aside so that all can feel safe and supported.

This card encourages you to step up as a leader in your life. To be the voice for people who cannot speak for themselves. To light the way for people who have been lost to the darkness. Or to care for those who have felt alone, abandoned, and harmed.

This card may also be encouraging a deeper expression of walking a path others will not. A leader is a part of many but often faces challenges alone. It takes a special and brave person to say “I’ll go first.” To be the one who doesn’t wait for an example to become one. Are you such a person? If not, then this is a chance to contemplate how you can support someone who is. There are many steps on the ladder of leadership and yours needn’t be at the top.

Who is this deck for?

If you have a coven, I’d highly recommend this deck to you just because I haven’t really seen anything else like it. I think it's a really interesting way to work in a group. But I'd say the same if you do witchcraft with your siblings or a group of friends. You don’t have to have a super fancy group to work with this deck. I think anyone who chooses to practice in a group could get something out of it.

I also think this might be a good deck if you’re working in a group for say school or work and you need to understand your group’s dynamics. Don’t feel as though your group has to be related to witchcraft. This is especially true if you’re in conflict with someone. The interpretations make it really easy to understand how this affects you on a personal level and as a part of a whole.

Deck Companion

I chose Tarot Chimera for the companion deck. I’d been wondering which tarot would go well with Coven Oracle for a while and I was coming up blank. But then I sat down to review Tarot Chimera and after really getting a chance to work with it, I immediately thought of the Coven Oracle and decided to give it a try. And I really like the pairing. For one because they are both monochromatic which means they won’t compete with each other in style or color. But I also think the Coven Oracle has a bit of that taboo, “should I shouldn’t I” sort of energy. The Coven Oracle softens Tarot Chimera a bit as well.

Read my review of Tarot Chimera

Tarot Chimera