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How to Use These Sacred Journey Medicine Cards

This oracle deck can be used...

1 Card Reading
3 Card Reading
Couple Reading
Group Reading
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Embracing the Layers: A Guide to Card Interpretation

Often the layers of interpretation unfold after a series of further reflections.
Usually the divination works best when you receive information from the card that bypasses your conscious mind. With this in mind, it helps not to be highly methodical and conscious about which card you choose. Just let the spirit within you move you.
When looking at the card you choose, be sure to tune into the the many layers of visual elements – and let yourself feel whatever you feel.
Some cards might intuitively appeal to you more than others. Not just aesthetically but in terms of how deeply they capture your attention.
If you have a particularly strong feeling about a card, then you should definitely consider keeping the card out in your home in a significant way.

One-Card Reading​

Back of Card
Agility Medicine Card

Agility Medicine Card

Fear flashes through your body, and in this moment you are quite alone. You may long for the presence of a being that cares for you. Your heart is calling for healing and abundance, but at this time you must simply travel the path of transformation. The Hare leaps into your life full of ingenuity and vitality. Hare people are sensitive, artistic, and expert at avoiding threats. This card calls upon you to review what is most important to you and act quickly to protect it. Pay close attention, remain aware of your spiritual reserves: which will help you most in this moment? What you require will appear as it is needed. Your mind may question this as fear arises, but your heart knows the truth, and your quick feet will carry you in the direction of new life.

Hare photograph, Wallpack Center, New Jersey, USA.

SHUFFLE
FLIP ALL CARDS

Feeling depressed?    Stressed?    Cloudy in thought?    Blocked?     Disengaged?

Medicine Card Reading step1

Select a Card for Inspiration

Choose a card to meditate on or for daily inspiration.

Medicine Card Reading step2

Ask a Question

Ask the card a question like, “What should I focus on today?”

Medicine Card Reading step3

Connect with the Cards

Touch, shuffle, and connect with the cards. Hold them to your heart or speak to them if you feel inclined.

Medicine Card Reading step4

Choose Your Card

Lay the cards face down in a fan shape. Pick one or more cards that attract you.

Medicine Card Reading step5

Reflect on the Images

Look at the selected cards and notice how the images make you feel. Consider the photographic image, mixed media art, number, title, and colors.

Medicine Card Reading step6

Find Personal Meaning

Reflect on what these elements mean to you. Allow your intuition to guide you.

Three-Card Reading

This method helps illuminate multiple aspects of a situation.

Back of Card
Gathered Medicine Card

Gathered Medicine Card

Three bluebirds appear: a father, mother beside him, and their chick flying overhead. Like musical notes, there is a harmony to this arrangement. These colorful beings call upon you to give yourself up to the beauty that surrounds you. In the pursuit of joy and happiness, spend time in the natural world that Spirit has given us. You may be at the beginning of a new chapter, evolving into a fresh existence, or you may be at a turning point that is more challenging. If you are in the darkness at this time, the gathering of Bluebirds is an indication that things will be brighter soon. They may be the messengers of an Angel or of loved ones who are communicating their support from another realm. Call upon those who have your back, both here and on the other side, through prayer, meditation, and the power of intention. They will answer.

Western Bluebird photographs, Berkeley, California, USA.

Back of Card
Between Worlds Medicine Card

Between Worlds Medicine Card

Out of nowhere, a memory flickers across your consciousness. It is strange to you and yet familiar. A song playing in a café or an article in the news reminds you of a forgotten chapter from a past life. The leftover aura of past trauma and other crucial passages resonates throughout your present experience and catches the echoes of distant lives. Otter Medicine can swim into your consciousness when you are between worlds like this, to help you move between stages: when you are at the border of water and land, neither completely wet nor completely dry, or when you are in transition, your dreams full of people and animals from another lifetime. Otter conveys a sense of fluidity and the ability to play, encouraging your flexibility. Whether during birth, death, marriage, a sacred transition, or a crossing over to past lives, Otter’s positive energy and ease navigating transition can carry you.

Otter photograph, Monterey Bay, California, USA.

Back of Card
Alignment Medicine Card

Alignment Medicine Card

A figure traces a line across the sky, whispering to you about your true nature. The figure shows you how the experiences of your lifetimes have shaped you, distorting your thoughts and the alignment of your subtle bodies. Red-tailed Hawk holds the key to a higher consciousness. Even in a skewed and fractured existence, Red-tailed Hawk signals a strength and clarity that will ultimately generate the alignment that you seek. Its movement will create harmony and balance and bring relief, contentment, and even joy into the fractured places. There is great beauty in all that you have carried and transformed during this journey on Earth. Notice the radiance that is brought forth in this expression of imperfection.

Red-tailed Hawk photograph, Telluride, Colorado, USA.

SHUFFLE
FLIP ALL CARDS
Medicine Card Reading step1

Understand the Representation

The 3 cards can symbolize the past, present, and future; the beginning, middle, and end of a sacred journey; or any specific three-part process of your choosing.

Medicine Card Reading step2

Prepare the Cards

Shuffle the cards. Place them face down. Spread them out.

Medicine Card Reading step3

Select Your Cards

Choose 3 cards.

Medicine Card Reading step4

Lay Out the Cards

Arrange the cards side by side to view the entire reading.

Medicine Card Reading step5

Reflect on the Cards

Take time to feel the energy and guidance of each card before referring to the booklet. When you look up a card, be open to receiving new perspectives and interpretations.

This process provides a comprehensive view, helping you gain insight into different facets of your situation.

Couple Reading

If you're in a relationship and struggling with your connection, consider doing a card reading together. This can become a profound interactive process, bringing needed insights into your relationship.

Back of Card
Anticipation Medicine Card

Anticipation Medicine Card

You are experiencing the calm within a storm. The howling winds swirl and hiss eagerly, and yet you remain centered. You are anticipating the fruits of your labors, remaining serene as you wait for what comes next. Like the Caracara perched on top of a cactus, you have a perfect view of all that surrounds you. Stay awake and vigilant: an opportunity is about to present itself. You may have a healthy urge to reach out to others now, but be careful not to overdo it and get too pushy. Remaining tranquil, rest assured that what you seek is seeking you. Wait and watch for it to enter your field of vision. You will know when it arrives, and then you will claim it.

Crested Caracara photograph, La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Back of Card
Against The Current Medicine Card

Against The Current Medicine Card

You find yourself struggling against a torrent of resistance. This power, the work of external beings or internal demons, relentlessly opposes your progress. How will you ever overcome it? Koi fish are a symbol of hope, worldly ambition, and progress. Koi delivers to you the capacity to move swiftly against the current, arriving upstream against seemingly insurmountable odds. Try not to be distracted or deterred; this is not the time to give up or turn back. According to legend, if Koi swimming the Yellow River succeeds in climbing the falls at the Dragon Gate, it will be transformed into a dragon. Your determination and strong sense of purpose facing these difficult circumstances will carry you. Insist on wisdom and miracles, and you will receive them. Have faith.

Koi photograph, Key West, Florida, USA.

Back of Card
Star Seeds Medicine Card

Star Seeds Medicine Card

Stars shine brightly in the night sky, and a rainbow fills the atmosphere in a dreamlike mist. This light comes from the same energy you are made of. You may have remembrances of being a part of one of these stars – or perhaps part of a star in another galaxy altogether. Sometimes you long for this other place that you could also call home, because the world you live in can often be so uncomfortable. The Star Seeds remind you that you are one with the powers that created you. Your mind can detect the familiar essence of loved ones who have shared a faraway home with you. Some of them may have joined you here on Earth, while others remain in another dimension. If you are able, get outside to see the night sky where you are. Tune into your gifts and those of your tribe in other lifetimes and know that you are one with all beings.

Rainbow Sky photograph, Brookings, Oregon, USA.

Back of Card
Deep Dive Medicine Card

Deep Dive Medicine Card

You plunge deep into the ocean where you encounter a Whale. With it, you move with grace. Here you have the ability to navigate the depths of your emotional being. This is a power animal full of igniting wisdom, spiritual awareness, and enduring love. It taps into ancestral DNA and helps you to hear the whisper of truth within you. With Whale energy your life unfolds in ways that can address your deepest emotional needs and allows you to communicate your authentic emotional experience. The world above the water remains to be explored with different senses, once you return to the surface. Grab ahold of the Whale’s tail with certainty and allow her to move you deep into your own profound intuition.

Humpback Whale Fluke photograph, Monterey Bay, California, USA.

SHUFFLE
FLIP ALL CARDS
Medicine Card Reading step1

Prepare Together

Each person takes turns holding and shuffling the cards. Feel free to ask the cards a question or set an intention for the reading.

Medicine Card Reading step2

Select the Cards

Choose the cards together. Fan them out in front of you.

Medicine Card Reading step3

Discuss Feelings

Discuss how each card makes each of you feel. Look for messages about how you might bring more closeness and better communication into your bond.

Medicine Card Reading step4

Reflect Before Consulting the Booklet

Take enough time to feel the energy and guidance of the card(s) as a couple. When you do look up a card, stay open to receiving alternative perspectives and interpretations.

This process can help you gain insights and improve your connection.

Group Reading

Create a meaningful and insightful group card reading experience with these steps

Back of Card
Deep Dive Medicine Card

Deep Dive Medicine Card

You plunge deep into the ocean where you encounter a Whale. With it, you move with grace. Here you have the ability to navigate the depths of your emotional being. This is a power animal full of igniting wisdom, spiritual awareness, and enduring love. It taps into ancestral DNA and helps you to hear the whisper of truth within you. With Whale energy your life unfolds in ways that can address your deepest emotional needs and allows you to communicate your authentic emotional experience. The world above the water remains to be explored with different senses, once you return to the surface. Grab ahold of the Whale’s tail with certainty and allow her to move you deep into your own profound intuition.

Humpback Whale Fluke photograph, Monterey Bay, California, USA.

Back of Card
Patience Medicine Card

Patience Medicine Card

A friendly Calf stops mid-frolic to stare at you with piercing eyes that look directly into your soul. It is here to deliver the patient and holy Medicine of its Ancestors. You can look up at the night sky and tap into this same power in the Milky Way. The force of the moon is also with you, providing feminine nurturing energy. The Calf’s appearance also brings you equanimity. You may be experiencing a strong desire to get moving, but you needn’t push; now is not the time to rush into anything. Take all the time and preparation you need; know your strength, choose a direction, and take the first step. This Medicine is a source of sustenance for you, and it can induce a calm, meditative, and peaceful state if you let it. You will be carried where you need to go. Relax and enjoy the tranquil, tender ride.

Calf photograph, California, USA.

Back of Card
Anticipation Medicine Card

Anticipation Medicine Card

You are experiencing the calm within a storm. The howling winds swirl and hiss eagerly, and yet you remain centered. You are anticipating the fruits of your labors, remaining serene as you wait for what comes next. Like the Caracara perched on top of a cactus, you have a perfect view of all that surrounds you. Stay awake and vigilant: an opportunity is about to present itself. You may have a healthy urge to reach out to others now, but be careful not to overdo it and get too pushy. Remaining tranquil, rest assured that what you seek is seeking you. Wait and watch for it to enter your field of vision. You will know when it arrives, and then you will claim it.

Crested Caracara photograph, La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Back of Card
Ancient Wisdom Medicine Card

Ancient Wisdom Medicine Card

Faded words appear as if written long ago on the walls of a cave. A dancing figure and animal spirits from this bygone lifetime are now calling your name, inviting you to tap into their perceptions. They want you to see and feel the power that you once held when you cultivated wisdom without the distractions of modern life. You might feel the top of your head tingle as you open now to receive this information through your Crown Chakra. This is a message to connect with your ancestral roots. Water Lily, with its feminine spirit of love and beginning, serves as a symbol of rebirth, enlightenment, and the cycle of Life. Use it to establish a strong connection to the spirits who can guide you to your divine purpose.

Water Lily photograph, University of California Berkeley Botanical Garden, USA.

Back of Card
Gathered Medicine Card

Gathered Medicine Card

Three bluebirds appear: a father, mother beside him, and their chick flying overhead. Like musical notes, there is a harmony to this arrangement. These colorful beings call upon you to give yourself up to the beauty that surrounds you. In the pursuit of joy and happiness, spend time in the natural world that Spirit has given us. You may be at the beginning of a new chapter, evolving into a fresh existence, or you may be at a turning point that is more challenging. If you are in the darkness at this time, the gathering of Bluebirds is an indication that things will be brighter soon. They may be the messengers of an Angel or of loved ones who are communicating their support from another realm. Call upon those who have your back, both here and on the other side, through prayer, meditation, and the power of intention. They will answer.

Western Bluebird photographs, Berkeley, California, USA.

SHUFFLE
FLIP ALL CARDS
Medicine Card Reading step1

Prepare the Altar Space

Set up an altar space in the middle of your group circle. Shuffle and spread the cards on this altar.

Medicine Card Reading step2

Distribute Numbered Slips

Pass out slips of paper in a basket, each numbered according to the number of people present. Have each person pick a slip of paper with a number.

Medicine Card Reading step3

Choose Cards in Order

Go around the circle in numerical order and have each person intuitively choose a card.

Medicine Card Reading step4

Share Impressions

Each person shares the card they received with the group, along with any impressions they have from the card.

Medicine Card Reading step5

Read the Message or Journey Together

Read the message from the booklet or embark on a drumming or medicine journey together.

Medicine Card Reading step6

Group Discussion

Take time for each person in the group to share their thoughts about each card.

Medicine Card Reading step7

Reflect on the Booklet Messages

After the journey, stay open to hearing the messages from the booklet about the cards drawn.

This ritual fosters connection and collective insight, enhancing the group's shared experience.

Medicine Cards Review
The first thing you notice about this deck is the infusion of vitality in each of the 54 cards. The layers, colors, shapes, lines, and forms in the compositions are organic and spontaneous -- truly reminiscent of the natural world they embody and represent. The compositions on the card fronts are an interesting balance between abstract and concrete imagery. And, they are arranged so that the reader's eye is drawn to each aspect individually; while still being able to take in the entire card. I like layers as an artist, but I specifically benefit from them as a card-reader. Layers give a deck more multi-dimensional applications and accessibility. …….I have worked with these cards for about a week, and each time I pick up the deck, something new emerges. Something I did not see before makes itself known.
Indie Deck Review
I find these cards to be very grounding and supportive for me when I need to center myself and receive a deeper message. They call me into the present moment. I've worked with many decks in my life and these cards are much deeper, carefully channeled and potent. Literally, the medicine of the messages are palpable. I bought 5 decks to give as gifts and the recipients loved them too. There is a difference between a highly manufactured and contrived product and something that is carefully curated from heart and spirit. This deck feels like true wisdom, hand crafted and written by a seasoned wisdom-keeper. I highly recommend these cards for your heart and soul or for the support of others.
Wendy De Rosa
The School for Intuitive Studies
The Sacred Journey Medicine Cards are filled to the brim with layers and dimensions — not just compositionally, but energetically as well. This is the first collage deck that I have ever worked with. And, I LOVE IT!
Indie Deck Review
These lovingly illustrated cards are a joy to behold. A thoughtfully written book full of insights and gems of wisdom accompanies them. I have enjoyed perusing them myself and sharing them with my friends. Buy a set for yourself and more to gift to those you love.
Matthew Alan Kane
This is an exquisite medicine deck that is both evocative and provocative. We used it at our Women’s Journey Circle and everyone present received a huge gift of wisdom, insight and inspiration
Valerie Carpenter
The Vestibule Center for Sound Living
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Sacred Journey Medicine Cards