In June 2021, Enchanted Living interviewed the multi-dimensional visionary artist and author, Ashley River Brant about her new book, Tending to the Sacred. Now she is offering the world a hand-illustrated oracle card deck to help you increase your connection to your innate healing powers and intuitive wisdom.
Each of the 44 cards in The Messages from the Heart of the Divine Oracle Deck is painted with plant and mineral pigments, natural waters from the rivers, creeks, and oceans, and flower essences to encode each card with a specific alchemy of Earth Spirit healing. The accompanying guidebook provides you with instructions on how to interact with the cards, sample spreads, and beautiful healing rituals to help you engage more deeply with the card’s message.
“You are the oracle,” says Brant, “This deck simply offers guidance for you to see that within yourself.”
A few sample cards and rituals are featured below for you to discover.
Before using this deck, take a few moments to center and ground yourself by taking a few deep breaths and connecting to your body and heart, finding your center of stillness within. It’s always nice to create a quiet, comfortable space without distractions to use this deck—at your altar, with a cup of warm tea, somewhere in nature, or just somewhere you will not be disturbed—so you can be still and listen to your spirit, connecting deeper to your breath of life and soul’s essence.
When using the full deck, you can ask a question about anything you are seeking clarity or guidance on or simply, “What message do I need to hear today?” Shuffle the deck with your intention until it feels right and pull a card from anywhere in the deck. There is no right or wrong way to pull a card, just follow your intuition. The answer you receive will always be a reflection of your heart in that moment in regard to your question. The only questions you will want to avoid are yes-or-no questions because this deck does not give yes-or-no answers.
After reading the message that corresponds with the card you choose (this is found in a booklet that accompanies the oracle deck), you may want to follow up with its corresponding ritual to further absorb the energetic medicine the card is bringing to you.
Ritual: Close your eyes, breathe long and deep, counting six counts in through your nose, and six counts out. Bring your awareness to your heart and imagine a soft pink light glowing. Breathe into this light for a few more deep breaths. Now place your hands on your heart and repeat the following:
“I give myself permission to awaken to my medicine, to recognize my spiritual gifts, wisdom, and unique heart song. My medicine is my gift to share with the world.” You may feel the desire to hum or sing or simply rest into this knowing as you move about your day.
Ritual: Close your eyes and connect to your breath for a few moments. Place your left hand on your heart and envision your inner child. Your inner child is simply you when you were a child, still present in your heart no matter how old you are today. Notice how old your child self is as you envision them. Notice how they appear, what they are feeling, doing, saying, and so on. As you tune in to their essence, take a moment to ask them what they need. Maybe it’s a hug, to be rocked, to be fed something specific, or more time to play or rest. When you receive guidance on what they need, take a moment to silently say, “I love you.” Be in allowance of any emotions that come up, letting the emotions of your inner child be expressed through you in the present. When you are ready, create space to give to yourself whatever your inner child is needing.
Ritual: Get out and play! Create space to allow your child self to lead for the day. Play your child self’s favorite music and start dancing, call up a childhood friend, skip around in nature, talk to the flowers, play games with loved ones, or imagine whole worlds and color them with rainbow hues. There is no matter more pressing than experiencing the joy in your heart. Let your inner child out to play.
Featuring adapted excerpts from Messages from the Heart of the Divine Oracle Deck: Connect with Earth, Spirit, and Self, written and illustrated by Ashley River Brant. You can find the oracle deck at any of your favorite booksellers.
