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Title: Witch Whispers Oracle
Created by: Ute Leilani Meuser
Art by: Lyra O’Brien
Publisher: Llewellyn books
Price: $24.99
Number of cards: 40
Card size: 5.5 x 3.25 in
Box size: 6.5 x 5 x 1.25 in approx
Guidebook pages: 135
Purchased or gifted?: review copy gifted by Llewellyn books
Absolute favorite card: Communication With Plants
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved): Homecoming, Magic Cauldron, The Secret Garden, Oracle Power, Incense Power, Teatime, Book of Shadows, Green Witch
Notable detail:
Season: Spring
Sabbat: Beltane
Sign: Taurus
Element: Earth
Deck compliment: Wild Unknown Tarot
Collective Pull: Soul Whispers

Add to Your Altar

First Impressions

At first, I thought the artwork was done by a woman I used to follow a long time ago. I found her when I first started Spirit Element which was ten years ago this past June so that’s right around the time I started seeing her work. I wish I could remember her name. She was the only one doing art like this at the time, or least that I saw. It’s not her but it instantly reminded me of those days so this deck felt nostalgic. I cannot believe it's been ten years since I started Spirit Element.

Wow, does time fly. This deck reminded me of those early days back when the School of Witchery was around and I was doing rituals every week trying to get an oracle deck publishing deal or a book deal. And I guess this deck also reminds me of when witchery just felt easier. It was less performative and more raw rather than so curated or so flashy. There wasn’t pressure to suddenly become a cinematographer or storyteller or creative director. It just felt like a bunch of people looking to witchery to step into their own power. I kind of miss those days but anyway, let’s dig into this deck and see if you’ll add this to your altar.

The Packaging

Ok so standard oracle box from Llewellyn but they have all sorts of boxes. You never really know what you’re going to get from them. It’s a book fold top with a shallow platform inside to hold the cards which are quite large. These are some nice sized cards but thin enough to shuffle them with ease. Still no gilding. I’m so disappointed with Llewellyn in this. I know for a fact they read my reviews and after complaining about this for probably three years, I would think they would’ve started doing it by now. But alas, no. At least the price is on the lower end at $24.99. Some decks recently have been nearly 30 dollars and barely have a passable box.

This box is solid and in full color, that’s for sure. This is a very bright deck to say the least. Everything is done in a semigloss and that’s really it in terms of packaging. There’s a blue ribbon to lift out the cards but you don’t get any foil or texture play or really anything but your standard box.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is a good size and in full color. I like that the cover of the guidebook is this deep blue which makes a really nice construct to the brighter box which is mostly yellow. Inside the guidebook, you’ll find:

An introduction
Three spreads
Card meanings

The introduction consists of two sections called “Your Magical Arts” and “The Magic of the Cards.” From what I can tell, these sections seem to stand in as a sort of “how to use your cards” section. For each card you get a full page image of the card which is always preferred. There are some introductory questions, the card’s meaning which is labeled “The Magic of the Card,” a different ritual or practice for each card and then “whispers” which is an invocation. The card titled “Believe” has a poem instead of a card meaning which I found to be interesting. It’s unusual and I tend to like unusual things. It makes me wonder if a card always needs a specific meaning. Maybe there are other ways to express a card’s meaning without needing to say it so plainly.

I like to be challenged to think outside the box and this one card has definitely done that. I looked through the guidebook several times and didn’t see another card like that but it's definitely got my attention.

Theme

I think the main theme of the deck is earth witchery more so than anything else. It’s mostly a deck about the creator’s idea of what it means to be a witch and how that can show up in the form of guidance through an oracle deck.

The Artwork

These are really colorful cards. I often talk about earthy colors but behind the scenes, I am always challenging that narrative. I’ve traveled A LOT and one thing I know for sure is that the earth is not a planet of muted tones. The earth is bright and colorful. I have seen plants that are highlighter pink and leaves that are a vibrant emerald green. Jamaica is the greenest place I’ve ever seen. So many shades of green and so rich too. So while I prefer an earthy (meaning muted) deck, I also acknowledge that this deck is much more representative of the earth’s colors.

My favorite card is Communication with Plants. Earlier I said this deck felt nostalgic to me and so does this card. I used to be obsessed with plants and herbs especially. I spent every moment I could growing, harvesting, making herbal preparations, even sleeping with plants at times. And when I saw this card, it just reminded me of that. Of how much love I had in that before I turned it into a business. In fact, so much of the art reminds me of why I loved witchery and earth practices in general. The art feels pure in that way. Unspoiled by time or social influence or the need to turn a hobby into a business. It just feels like joy and personal healing and fulfillment.

“The cards are not just a tool but also a promise: They will help you develop your own inner wisdom, discover and live the magic in your everyday life, and become the creator of your own destiny.”

I think the Magic Cauldron card is so fun. I love that it's basically a rainbow. It's just cheerful. I love that the art doesn’t have too many harsh lines. It’s wispy and flowy. It feels organic and yet, there are a lot of details here. And the art does a good job of capturing all of the seasons. There are bright cards and warm ones, some with snow and others with lots and lots of plants.

I also want to talk about the back of the cards because that is an entire image in itself. It could easily be a card image in the deck. It’s just as bright as the box in shades of yellow, pink and purple. I love that the woman is turning away from me. It makes it feel like this is truly the back of something.

Reading With this Deck

I find it so interesting how much this deck reminds me of my older witch days. Even when reading with the cards, I have found that I keep pulling cards that are very much rooted in older expressions of my practice. Cards like Green Witch and Dreaming. That last one hit me especially hard because I did dream interpretations for years, long before I ever called myself a witch. It was something I was so good at but I never charged for it and I found so many people were constantly asking me to do it to the point where I just stopped altogether.

What I love about reading with this deck is that it’s just simple. Sometimes I can get so caught up in wanting to reinvent the wheel and you know, things that have stood the test of time have done so for a reason. Working with this deck has really reminded me that sometimes the simplest form of something is the best form.

I don’t think this one will be a favorite but it does feel like a good one to bring out when I feel like I need to reconnect to my roots. And not just in the sense of a witchy practice but to connect with what matters most.

Ready to get this deck?

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose Spring as the season. There is so much green throughout this deck but also it's just so bright and fresh. It reminds me of a spring day for sure. That time of year when everything suddenly turns green overnight. But spring is also associated with renewal and I do feel reinvigorated by this deck. It reminded me so much of what used to be important to me and I find myself wanting to step back into that pure expression.

I chose Taurus for the zodiac sign. Mostly because Taurus is the sign that is most associated with sensual things and by that I mean engaging the senses. Connecting with the earth like communicating with plants is such a Taurus thing. Not to mention so many of the images in the deck feel indulgent which is definitely a Taurus thing.

I chose Beltane for the sabbat. I think Beltane more than any other holy day represents enjoying life’s pleasures. Working with plants, working with fire and water. It’s not all about sexuality. Sometimes it's just about enjoying the earth coming alive.

And finally I chose earth for the sabbat. I think witchcraft is just earthy by nature and just about every scene is set outside so it seemed like an easy choice. I also didn’t see too much of the presence of other elements so earth it is.

Collective Pull

I pulled Soul Whispers for you. This card is a reminder of how many people you carry through your veins and your soul. You are the product of thousands of people living and creating life. And each of them is whispering to you at every moment. You don’t need to identify a specific source or name a specific person to hear their whispers. You only need to approach your spirit with humility and allow yourself to take what feels right and true. This card is also a sign to practice with divination tools. Use runes or tarot or bones or any other practice which resonantes with you. Doing so gives your soul whispers a channel that leads directly to you. One that you can visit at any time for guidance and support.

Who is this deck for?

If you like full on witchy imagery then you’ll like this deck. If you like the pointed hats and cauldrons and wands and all that then you will probably enjoy this too. But also, if you want a deck that is just about witchcraft in its most basic form then I think this is a good one to work with.

Deck Companion

I chose the Wild Unknown tarot for two reasons. For one, this deck was massively popular around those old days I was telling you about earlier. So working with that deck again also feels nostalgic. But also because Witch Whispers is such a bright deck that you need something to ground its energy a bit more. Wild Unknown is colorful to a point but has mostly black and white which feels like it supports the bright colors rather than competes. But there is enough color to form some resonance along with balance. I also really like the simplicity of Wild Unknown that I feel matches the easygoing nature of Witch Whispers.

Wild Unknown Tarot