Goddess_Inspiration

“We are meant to be filled with joyful inspiration, to spill over with exuberant spirit. May the Goddess Inspiration Oracle animate your life with inspiration, providing you with an intimate experience of the Divine Feminine.” – Kris Waldherr

From the brilliance of Athena to the compassion of Kuan Yin, the beauty of Freyja to the passion of Pele, stories of goddesses weave through centuries of myth and culture. Whether displaying feats of strength, imparting sage counsel or brokering peace, these threads of Divine Feminine energy provide models to emulate and contemplate.

For some, this energy is as real as breath itself, arriving on the wings of invocation. For others, the goddesses represent archetypal containers of specific traits that can be accessed for creative pursuits, personal growth, healing and illumination.

Artist and author Kris Waldherr couples the variegated energy of the Goddess with an accessible form of divination that anyone can use: oracle cards. The Goddess Inspiration Oracle unfurls the artistry from Ms. Waldherr’s previous works, including The Goddess Tarot, Sacred Animals, Lover’s Path Tarot and The Book of Goddesses.

Highlighting the unique energy of 80 different goddesses, the Goddess Inspiration Oracle and the 112-page companion book provide seekers with everything they need for consulting the Feminine Divine.

Do you need a dose of eloquence so that you may speak with confidence? Focus upon the Nigerian goddess Oya. Perhaps you feel a brush with luck or increased prosperity is in order? The Indian goddess, Lakshmi, is considered the sacred manifestation of abundance. If you’ve been passive for far too long, needing a backbone instead of a wishbone, perhaps the fiery Hawaiian goddess Pele would be your gal!

In addition to using these cards for affirmations or inspiration, the Goddess Inspiration Oracle serves as a comprehensive divination tool. Whether you require insight on past, present or future experiences, the wealth of goddesses—some well known and others more obscure—from cultures around the world stand ready to aid you on life’s journey.

Here are but a few of the goddesses you’ll find in the Goddess Inspiration Oracle:

• Aine, The Fairy Queen – Love, Light and Magic

• Brigit, The Fiery Arrow – Poetry, Artistry and Fire

• Demeter, The Mother – The Seasons, Motherhood, and Loss

• Gaia, Mother Earth – Creation, The Earth and Connection

• Hekate, The Dark One – Menopause, Wisdom and The Supernatural

• Inanna, Queen Moon – The Heavens, Strength and Resurrection

• Lalita, The Amorous – Love, Flirting and The Universe

• The Muses, Goddesses of Inspiration – The Arts, Science and Creativity

• Nut, The Celestial Vault – The Sky, The Stars and Protection

• Oshun, The Modest One – Water, Love and Fertility

• Rhiannon, The Horse Goddess – Progress, Happy Endings and Desire

In the companion book to the Goddess Inspiration Oracle, Ms. Waldherr explains the varied uses of this deck, and gives a brief bio of each of the goddesses—as well as a pertinent oracular phrase that is re-printed on the front of the corresponding card.

Cards measure 4-5/8 x 2-3/4 inches, but the painted images are less than 2 x 2 inches. A muddied chartreuse motif borders the small central image, with the same dull color echoed on the non-reversible backings. A dark monochromatic gray fills most of the background on the front of the cards.

Packaged in a flimsy box, the Goddess Inspiration Oracle also comes with a useful gold organdy bag with satin drawstrings. (Incidentally, the same bag comes with the Mystic Faerie Tarot).

I’ve had great success with Doreen Virtue’s Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards (in fact, it’s one of my favorite non-Tarot decks), so I looked forward to working with the Goddess Inspiration Oracle.

Unfortunately, these cards didn’t work for me. One day, I was going through a particularly challenging time and drew a card that was entirely irrelevant. However, I stuck with it for a few days—pondering that, perhaps, there was some “hidden” message that I was overlooking. A few days later, I was having an incredible day hanging out with my husband, reading on the porch during a warm rain that lasted hours.

I thought I’d give this deck another try during this lovely time…just a peaceful “checking in” with the goddesses…so I shuffled thoroughly—and then drew *the exact same card as before*! Again, it was 100% irrelevant on all counts. I gave this deck two more tries, including as I was writing this review (I would have been delighted had it resonated!), but alas—nada.

This surprised and disappointed me—but I’m well aware that no oracle is perfect for everyone. But because the Goddess Inspirational Oracle has almost double the cards of a Doreen Virtue deck (80 as opposed to 44), I incorrectly assumed it would “double my pleasure” in accessing wisdom from the goddesses.

While this deck didn’t work for me, it has a lot of potential, in theory. If you’re a huge fan of Ms. Waldherr’s writings and art, you’ll no doubt enjoy the Goddess Inspiration Oracle. I love that the goddesses in this deck span many cultures (although, Mother Mary is notably absent here), so those wanting to connect with the Divine Feminine or increase their knowledge of goddesses around the world may also benefit from this deck.

Below are 12 images from this deck: