I Followed Oracle Card Guidance for a Week. This is What Happened
In an effort to make January 2021 as magical as possible, I decided to follow oracle card guidance for a week. I was hoping to invite more synchronicities, more ease and more flow. I wanted my life to feel super FUN again.
For readers who skim, you can see each days’ results at the bottom of each day. And for everyone else, grab some tea and put your feet up. You’re in for a wild ride!
Day One:
On The first day, I flipped to the penguin in the Honest AF Animal Wisdom Book. According to the book, the penguin represents a need for more variety and adventure.
“If you want to change your life, you have to actually change your life. Make a radical move and do it now!”
Now if we weren’t in a pandemic, I’d take that as a sign to book a spa day immediately, which is something I’ve never done. But since that would require close physical contact, I decided it’s not a good idea since we’re still in a pandemic.
So the first thing I did after walking my dog and brushing my teeth was to eat some sourdough toast. My usual breakfast consists of almond butter and chocolate chips or some kind of paleo mug cake. So toast was vastly different for me.
The outcome? I stayed pretty full until around 1:00 pm.
It was a rainy day. I hate the rain. So I went outside and danced in it. Just kidding! But I did walk my dog in the rain several times. I also stayed in my pajamas until around 2:00 pm for a change. I bathed in the afternoon and skipped washing my hair...
The outcome? I received a compliment on my hair from my husband, which is EXTREMELY rare. He’s not a jerk, but compliments are definitely not his love language.
Then, on one of my rain walks, I took a different way back to the house. As a result, I saw a huge turkey fly up into the trees. I had no idea turkeys could fly!
Day One Results: Nothing extremely life changing happened yet (that I know of), but I did receive a rare compliment and see a wild turkey fly. So that’s pretty cool. I also experienced a ton of synchronicities...it seemed like whatever I was thinking about (a song, a movie quote) appeared in my reality.
Day two:
On day two I was planning on using Doreen Virtue’s Mermaids and Dolphin’s oracle deck, but I had a visit from a REAL spirit animal instead.
As I was lying in bed trying to sleep in the morning, I heard our chickens clucking and squawking. So I jumped out of bed and looked out the window. To my surprise and delight, a huge deer was running near the chicken tunnel. The chickens must have thought it was a dog, which is their sworn enemy.
So I took the deer as my spirit animal message for the day. The deer represents being serene and peaceful. It’s about receptive, feminine energy, not pushing to get what you want. So I gave myself permission to go back to sleep. It doesn’t get more serene than that! My husband woke me up at 11am to make sure I was alive.
Throughout the day, I tried to embody the deer by talking less and listening more. As a result, I was flooded with ideas for articles, books and more. In fact, as I was working on a book cover, it felt like my hands couldn’t move as fast as my brain to get the ideas out. But I didn’t push, because the deer wouldn’t advise it.
Day two results: I saw a deer in my yard, caught up on sleep and became an IDEA MACHINE. My book sales were higher today than any other day since December 2020.
Day three:
On day three, I pulled the bat from my vintage Animal Medicine Cards, which I found at a thrift shop 5 years ago.
I ALWAYS pull the bat card! According to Sams and Carson, “bat embraces the idea of shamanistic death. It symbolizes the need for a ritualistic death of some way of life that no longer suits your new growth pattern.”
What am I supposed to get rid of? What is no longer suiting me? Fear? Something else? Dust? I’m pretty minimalist as far as “stuff” goes. Living in a 720 square foot house will have that effect.
But I still decluttered like a mofo. I got rid of virtual clutter on my computer by deleting hundreds of old bookmarks, emails, and documents that I didn’t need. I even cleaned the toilet.
Last year I made a non-negotiable rule for myself: I don’t hang out with people I don’t like. So I feel I followed the bat’s advice in 2020 too.
Day three results: I felt lighter and more clear headed. I’m not sure I achieved the shaman’s ritualistic death, but I did what I could given my resources and understanding.
Day four:
On the 4th day, I used the Faeries’ Oracle by Brian Froud (from the Labyrinth!) and Jessica Macbeth. This book came to me in one of those ADORABLE “little free libraries” a few years ago.
Immediately I turned to The Piper, which governs: music, order, harmony, seduction and empathy.
According to the book, “to get what you want, Piper recommends that you try polite requests and gentle, patient persuasion - and then wait, quietly welcoming, for it to come to you. Use tenderness and gentleness.”
Hello synchronicity! The piper sounds alot like the deer from The Honest AF Animal Wisdom Book and The Animal Medicine Cards.
In order to take Piper's advice, I had to figure out what I wanted. So I started rereading, “Write it Down, Make it Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser.” I wrote down my goals and “the why” behind each one.
I followed my Intuition and pitched The World Divination Association my idea for this blog post you are reading right now. Obviously they said yes.
Day four results: Synchronicities galore. Received a positive response from The World Divination Association. My life is feeling easier. It feels like I’m in the zone or flow.
Day five:
On day five I felt called to use a divination technique called bibliomancy. Basically you pick up a book and ask a question. Then you flip to a random page to get your answer.
Today I asked, “what would you have me do?” and flipped to “Make it Normal for You” in a book called Rich Witch by Zelda Barrons.
According to the book, I need to “go where successful authors go” to make being a successful author normal for me. Most of the authors I know go to coffee shops to write. It’s still quite “pandemic-y” outside and we are about to get hit with a snow storm, so that’ll have to wait.
She also suggests I:
Read the biography of an author I admire
Expand my social circle (may be tough during a pandemic, just saying)
Take an (online) class or read a book by someone I admire
Barrons gives pretty solid advice so far. Since I’m already rereading the book of an author I admire (Write it Down, Make it Happen), I decided to order a biography on my kindle.
Speaking of autobiographies, last year I read Betty White’s hilarious memoir. You should definitely read it.
By the way, after what felt like an eternity of browsing on Amazon, I decided to order: Maya Angelou: 365 Selected Truths on Love, Truth, and Happiness. It’s not a biography per se, but is filled with wisdom from a badass writer.
The first quote I saw was this one: “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it!” Done and done!
Day Five Results: I was in a GREAT MOOD like all day long. Maya Angelou’s quotes are super inspiring. I didn’t read the whole book yet because I was busy writing this article.
Day 6:
After several days of listening to wisdom from humans and faeries, I’m back to listening to animals, who are far cuter. I flipped to the dog in The Honest AF Animal Wisdom Book.
The dog is a reminder to, “be loyal to yourself and your goals above all else. Be a leader! Commit to fully pleasing yourself. It’s not selfish, it’s essential!”
That advice is something I can FULLY get behind. Today I vow to please myself. Get your mind out of the gutters. I had another paleo mug cake.
Later, I did something I rarely do: I had alcohol...in the form of a delicious glass of plum wine at a sushi restaurant. I was mega clumsy as a result (not grounded) but very giddy.
Later that night, I watched whatever I wanted on TV (Rupaul’s Drag Race). Can I get an Amen?
Day 6 Results: I indulged my senses. It felt really good. My mood was still really good, even in the middle of winter.
More synchronicities: I saw 4 sasquatch symbols (a cardboard cutout, stickers on the back on various cars)!! What could it mean?
According to this article, “Bigfoot symbolizes that which remains hidden, secrets, and the mysterious. Preferring isolation, they are an emblem of individuality and the desire to escape the herd mentality.” I can dig it!
Day 7:
It’s day 7, the last day of my experiment. Today I used Linda Goodman’s Star Signs, which is about The Secret Codes of The Universe.
I asked the book what I needed to know.
Then I turned to “Daydreams are urgings from your own subconscious, not merely wishes to be enjoyed than forgotten. These urgings originate from the wise angel of your higher self.”
If you’re like me, you probably daydream ALL THE TIME. Apparently my higher self is VERY talkative. I’m going to journal more so I can separate the urgings of my subconscious from all the noise.
Some of my seemingly random daydreams early this morning:
Should I start my own publishing company and help other people publish their books?
Or collaborate with a bunch of people on one book (like Chicken Soup for the Soul but with an edge)?
Or both?
Reread Amanda Hockings’ book on my kindle (you can call me an avid “re-reader”)
Write a story about my Dad seeing ghosts in the antique mirror my mom bought.
I’m going to let those daydreams percolate for a bit before I act on them because I don’t want my plate to be too full.
Day 7 Results:
I’m more in tune with my thoughts and daydreams. It feels like I’m paying more attention to the opportunities that are all around me, if I only just stop and listen (like the deer). Synchronicities galore are my new normal.
The Final Results of my Experiment:
Did my life change drastically? Maybe not in a huge way, but I feel happier and more content. I’m more aware and seem to be pulling in a lot more ideas and “downloads” from the universe or whatever you want to call them. And so I’m going to continue the daily oracle card or book pull each morning.
Over to you: Do you have a daily oracle card practice? What’s your favorite deck or oracle book? Do you believe in Spirit Animals? Why or why not?
Sarah Jordan is an Asheville author, artist and animal lover. Sarah is the author and illustrator of The Honest AF Animal Wisdom Book. You can read Sarah’s articles on Elephant Journal, Rebelle Society, World Divination Association and more. She lives with her husband, their dog Rebel and 4 pet chickens. Connect with Sarah here.
Brought to you by Maria Alviz Hernando, WDA Tarot Teacher, and Blog Coordinator.
Do you want to be featured in the blog? Send an e-mail to thesibyl@thesibylstarot.com
Find out more about Maria here.