Most of us can remember that time in our lives when our senses were awake, our imaginations were fertile, and our hearts were so wide open we could see and feel magic all around us.
When I was a child I was obsessed with the fae. I spent most of my days playing in trees, often oak, building homes for them, chatting with them, and feeding them. My nights were filled with the longing to be outside frolicking under the moon with them. I felt connected to their world and to their wild ways.
But life happens — jobs, children, taxes, mortgages, and adulting keep us in the logical world. We close off our personal portals to those other realms we once traveled in so freely.
I’ve spent decades trying to recapture that connection and looking for a tarot deck that could act as a tool to help me.
When I saw Under the Oak I was cautiously hopeful. But once I got it in my hands and I felt the warmth of the familiar, I knew I would be able to use this deck for pathworking, and exploring my relationship with my inner child and with enchantment.
I think it’s safe to say that it’s the artwork that initially attracts all of us to a deck, but ultimately it’s our ability to connect emotionally with it that dictates how often we will use it. Under the Oak is no exception.
Yes, it was the art that initially drew me in, but it’s the world it creates and the inner doors it opens that hold my interest.
This deck follows The Fool’s journey of a character named Anima as she navigates her way through the archetypes of the Major Arcana and through each of the four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles.
At first blush I was worried this deck might be too young for me. I mean, I’m a grown woman in her crone stage of life. But in reality, following the young Anima through this entrancing world only brings out feelings of childlike wonder and innocence that, in the end, are exactly what I’m trying to channel.
Personally, I’m not a fan of “cute” decks, which often have been my only options when seeking a fae or otherworldly deck.I would not describe Under the Oak as cute. It’s a Pagan deck in all its glory.
The deck has exquisite colors, which tap the senses; the art is fanciful, which sparks the imagination; and the subject matter is myth and folklore, which opens us up to the magical.
As we journey through the cards with Anima, we discover a plethora of magical beings, e.g., a Griffin (The Empress), a Minotaur (the Strength card), Galtzagorriak, which is a type of imp in Basque mythology (5 of Pentacles), and spirit guides such as the stag, the boar, foxes, hares, goats, and the owl.
The four suits are given elemental, symbolic, and divine associations.
Wands are the element of Fire, symbolized by flames. The Court cards contain deities from the Celtic tradition: the Page of Wands is Ceridwen’s cauldron, the Knight of Wands is Mercurius (Celtic god equated to Mercury), the Queen of Wands is Brigid, and the King of Wands is Cernunnos.
Cups are the element of Water, symbolized by flowers. The Court cards depict Greek deities: the Page of Cups is a youthful satyr, the Knight of Cups is Persephone, the Queen of Cups is Hecate, and the King of Cups is Dionysus.
Swords are the element of Air, symbolized by Norse runes. The Court cards represent Norse deities on the steles (tombstones with stories of cultural legends carved into them): the Page of Swords is Eir, the healing goddess, the Knight of Swords is Jormungandr, who can channel energy, the Queen of Swords is the goddess Frigg, who is clairvoyant, and the King of Swords is Odin.
Pentacles are the element of Earth, symbolized by crystals. The Court cards explore deities of the underworld: the Page of Pentacles is Galtzagorriak, who provides support to those in need, the Knight of Pentacles is the Lamia riding on the young bull Aatxe, embodying hard work and protection, the Queen of Pentacles is Mari, an incarnation of Mother Earth, and the King of Pentacles is Mari’s spouse, Sugaar, a giant serpent who lives deep in the Earth.
Anima is Latin for “soul” or “life.” Psychotherapist Carl Jung adapted the word to describe the inner personality that is within the subconscious mind.
Anima clearly references the role this deck wants to fulfill as a guide helping us discover hidden messages and forgotten connections. The character of Amina isn’t found on every card. Many of the cards in both the Major and Minor Arcanas are animals, real or mythological, otherworldly or from this world, yet all magical in their own right. Anima is illustrated wearing a blindfold except in the Judgement and The World cards in the Majors, and in the 9s and 10s in every suit. These are the cards that symbolize the end of her journey, indeed, the end of our journey, and the blindfold being lifted represents the knowledge and wisdom we’ve gained.
Written by StregaDelleMele with artwork by Ofride and published by Lo Scarabeo, this 78-card deck comes in a beautifully designed, sturdy, two-part box.
The cards are standard size with a luminous silvery edging and bewitching backs that aren’t reversible.
The card stock is so luscious that it deserves its own full review! It’s soft to the touch and flexible yet strong. It’s easy to shuffle, even for small hands, and makes that wonderful swooshing sound in the process.
The guidebook is in multiple languages and only the first 51 pages are in English. However, those pages pack a punch, so much so that I would recommend this deck to a beginner.
In spite of the fact that I don’t read Norse runes, the deck is an easy reader that essentially follows the Rider-Waite-Smith system.
This deck does it — it’s a joyful and fun deck that captures the heart even when relaying darker messages.
The cards transport us to those carefree days lying on the ground under an oak in the warmth of the sun on a summer’s day. We listen for faeries’ laughter, perhaps we see a flicker of twinkling light out of the corner of our eye, and we’re taken to a place where all things magical become possible.