Nearness

It's been some time since I talked about the oracle deck. I've had a lot of time to practice with it these last several months and formulate some pros and cons. Aside from the German stock holding up well, this entry is going to be focusing on problems I've run into and haven't had an answer for until now.

About two months into reading with this deck, it became difficult for me to interpret the messages. This being an oracle deck, I'm more familiar with the tarot. About two years ago, I started to rely more on pictorial scenes and the human figure, and I've had some really accurate results from doing this. However, I'm afraid a little too much. The Plutonian oracle doesn't leave much in the way for this kind of interpretation. Finding this more of a drawback, I'd wondered how I might go about resolving this issue.

Because the deck is minimalist, I designed "positions" into it in order to specify information. However, I feel it's not enough, especially for the reader with a visual appetite. I also wondered: Is packing "positions" just a way to squeeze more cards into a 54 card deck? Nevermind rotating the card once (which is how to specify information), it can become a daunting task just after one try. I'd wondered if making the cards a bit more specific in their basic meanings might help, but something told me to just keep the meanings as is. Most of my sitters have already become familiar with them, anyway.

For those of you who rely on figures and gender to tell a story in the reading process, I have come up with an idea to get around this figureless, non-person problem. I am going to assign gender to each card, and perhaps, a tarot card. This will be added to the "Optional Correspondence" list that will be made available with the deck. This kind of reminds me of the way in which gender is assigned to words in languages.

But what about those readers who rely on the more expressive elements such as facial expression, stance, etc..? This can be a huge part of the reading, and this deck may just not end up being for those who want more. This entry is beyond the scope of how to build a deck that can be both tarot and oracle, minimalist and not, and so I will allow the limits I'm facing along these lines to be drawn here. It is, after all, an oracle deck, not a tarot.

As for the artwork, I need to get a move on. I have had feelings once again of changing the look of the art; however, I don't really want to prolong this phase any more. As for the card stock, I'm not sure if I want to stick with the German stock at MakePlayingCards.com. As mentioned in an earlier entry, it will definitely drive the cost of the deck up, and I wonder if it would all be worth it. If things go smoothly, this deck could be available after the 2017 Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thanks for reading!! :)

Fate

Hi, I'm back with an update. I received my sample deck on the 19th. I didn't realize it had been in the mailbox until Tuesday afternoon. Nonetheless, here are the details.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

There has been a substantial improvement to the quality of the deck's look and feel (not the art itself). The colors are more defined. The white background, for example, is not opaque (first deck), but solid. The smoothness of the cards is quality (what I'm used to when I hold a new deck of tarot or oracle cards in my hands). I think the word I would use is for this deck is "professional looking." The feel (texture) mirrors the professional look as well.

First edition (left) - 2nd edition (right)

Again, not much can be said for the card stock. It's still the same. At this point, I will contact the publisher about a stronger stock. These changes will most likely drive the cost of the deck up, but I would like for my future customers to wait a while before getting to the "black sharpie" phase. :P

As mentioned, the Venus and Mercury retrogrades are coming up, and this will be the time for insights. I already have changes and additions to the deck on paper as well. 

The whole idea with this copy was to enlarge and make the central symbols darker. As mentioned, symbols in the first copy were weak, faded, and small.

1st Edition (left) - 2nd edition (right)

On the down side, there were numerous errors I made, and with both copies. For this copy, smoothness of the artwork (lines) is my first priority. There were a different set of "tweaks," I did with certain cards, and I will have to see which is the best one. I may still need to do some further investigation.

1st Edition (left) - 2nd Edition (right)

The sun and moon placements were reversed (not sure how I missed this). In most cases, the sun is in the upright position of the card, while the moon shows up in the inverse position.

The Longing card is probably the card that needs the most work. Compared to its predecessor, it is not as smooth, and the silhouette effect needs to be re-worked. I trashed this card pretty good!

1st Edition (left) - 2nd Edition (right)

On the plus side, I like the improvements. The smoothness and solid colors (again) are good and this closely aligns with a professionally made deck. I am also happy to have the Pause card back in the deck (though it needs a few tweaks). I was using the old laminated one and it made shuffling crazy. Huge improvements have also been made to the Enemy, Realms, Man, and Ex cards. 

Pause 1st Edition

Ok, this is it. Below, I have left an excerpt from the oracle manual as well.

EXCERPT FROM THE PLUTONIAN ORACLE MANUAL:

READING EXAMPLE #3 - ISLAND READING EXAMPLE

When two arrows face each other, the reading can have a subtext, meaning that the energies reinforce each other. As a result, they can become “islands” and can stand on their own apart from the reading. In this case, the reader can interpret the example as reinforcing energy. One of the cards in the reading may be causing the island to occur. Once the pattern is recognized, either through interpretation, a clarifier, or guidance, the island may collapse or be reinforced. If it's a helping energy, then the pattern is usually reinforced. If it's not a helping energy, the pattern (island) can be broken.

ISLAND SYNTAX: Locked 1 --> <-- Transition (inverse)

In the above example, Locked 1 is facing Transition (inverse). The Transition (inverse) card indicates change that needs to happen, but isn't. Let's say the querent needs for this change to occur and feels frustrated as a result. However, on the mirror side of the reading, Locked 1 points back to the Transition (inverse) card. Locked 1 indicates sensitive information being withheld. Let's say this is your querent withholding information that could lead to the change she needs. Now we have a case where the actions of the querent are the offset of the pattern. So in this case, the cause of the island is coming from the Locked 1 card or the querent's actions. To break the cycle, disclosure of the information is needed. 

If you want to find out why she's holding back (background), you can place more cards behind the Locked 1 card. If you want to find out what this information is, you can place cards below the Locked 1 card in a column. If you want to see what kind of effect the disclosure will bring, place cards behind the Transition (inverse) card.

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Thank you for staying updated!

- Monique

Desiring to Communicate (Again?)

Ok, so I've decided to let some time pass before making my next update. I ordered a new sample deck with less cards (about 18) from the publisher back on February 1st. This copy contains most cards that I've made fixes and updates to. I also ordered a higher grade card stock, but I'm not sure 330 gsm is going to make a difference. I am thinking this will just make the cards more slippery like playing cards. The good news is that this copy does contain the missing Pause card, and stronger images that first appeared weak or faded in the first copy.

That aside, I am still going to take a cautious approach this month. I also probably won't be making the deck available in March or April. This extra time will allow me to work out any kinks during Venus retrograde.

So this aside, I'm really hoping to make some progress into the spring. I'll return with another update on the second copy, which is due to arrive on February 21st. I'll also be posting another excerpt from the manual then as well.

So please stay tuned and thank you for staying updated!!

- Monique

Observation

I think this is what I seem to be doing a lot lately with this deck. I think, more or less, it set the tone for January going into February. I think the oracle has done really well with spreads, but also in combination with tarot cards. When I put the syntax in a [tarot card] + [oracle card] format, the reading is easier to piece together (the syntax is the way the reading is written out). Also, reading with this deck reminds me of reading in a lost language or something. I am more reminded of ancient Mesoamerican hieroglyphs even though they look nothing like it (I do have, little, if any, experience reading these scripts).

Things with the deck are coming along. I am currently making updates to the copy that will be published. I think it could be another day or two until this is complete. Some of the center symbols were a bit small compared to other pieces in the deck. I also thinned out the Health and Enemy cards. Other cards that needed resizing were Man, Woman, and the Longing cards. I am currently (and pain-stakingly) working on the last card as I write this entry (and yeah, I'm longing to be done with it, lol).

Meanwhile, I've been adding bits of information to the manual, and will also need to update the images. I am thinking of adding a spreads section. In any case, I'll have plenty of time to work on these changes, and hopefully purchase a final copy before the end of the week. I've been meaning to contact the company to see if I can get a thicker card stock. The stock and edges started wearing out on my copy after the first week. I do use this deck weekly and almost daily. The tedious details aside, I'm happy with the progress of this project so far.

Ok, so here is another excerpt from the manual. The information may need to be edited over some, but the basic message will stay the same. Enjoy!

EXCERPT FROM THE PLUTONIAN ORACLE MANUAL

SPELL WORK

Can the Plutonian Oracle be used for spell work? Why not? If you feel any one symbol speaks to you for a particular spell, feel free to use it. I would also love to hear feedback on this, as I have done it a few times myself and feel like the results have been solid. Symbols can be written onto candles, disposable glass candles, petitions, or be used for meditation purposes in the course of healing work.

KARMA, SOUL MATES/TWIN FLAMES, AND PAST LIVES

During this deck's creation, I got a few questions about karma, soul mates/twin flames, and past lives.

While it's quite possible to tell if you hold a connection with someone on a soulmate/karmic/past life level with this deck, there are no cards that address these topics in a straightforward manner. For example, there isn't a "Soulmate" card or an official karmic relationship indicator. I deliberately left these topics out of the deck. The main focus of this deck is to promote the here and now. I chose not to address these categories due to the fact we can ultimately give our power away to them. However, readers can incorporate these concepts into the deck if they wish to on a more direct level.

ASTROLOGY AND NUMEROLOGY

Can the oracle be used with astrology or numerology? Yes. However, I recommend only using it as the need arises for general information, or with astrological- or numerological-themed spreads. It shouldn't take the place of the actual practice of astrology or numerology. Please see Healer 4 card's description for more information on how to use this deck with astrology and numerology.

QUINTS

In cartomancy, a quint number may be calculated using the numerical value of each card in a reading and adding it up. The sum number can hold numerological significance, but usually points back to another card in the deck associated with it. In the Plutonian Oracle, each card has a number assigned to it called the "Numerological Number." This number can be found under the Optional Correspondences table in the card's description or in the Optional Correspondence table found in Index II. Please see Sample Readings in Index I for a sample of how to calculate the quint using the Plutonian Oracle.

Ok, there you have it. Thank you for staying updated and please check back for more updates to come forth soon. 

Monique

This and That...

Hi everyone,

I've had a hectic start to the middle of the month. Between work and school, things are pretty busy during the week. However, I will say not too much needs to be done in terms of the artwork. I've made improvements or corrections to 70% of the cards I've set aside.

I'm also looking at having the manual done by mid February and I'll be posting a few more smaller excerpts from it.

Over the week, I've had some time to reflect on this deck as I use it. My self-readings aside (cause it's difficult to read for myself), I am happy with how it reads so far. I feel it's been straightforward if I ask the right questions. On another note, I've decided I want this to be a quality deck and putting more into making this happen is something I'm willing to do.

As far as the way it reads... this is not a deck where you just lay out cards and read. I may draw a few extra cards or use a few indicators to explore a few cards in the readings I do. It definitely has made me stop and think first before drawing more cards.

Ok, I want to say thanks for checking back and staying updated. I'll make my next update this week or weekend. Have a great week!

Checking In Again...

It's late here in California, but I feel like writing. I've made a few touch-up's to the artwork as well as corrected some indicator placements that did not match an original set (yes, there are two). I've also added some to cards I felt needed more options such as the Ex card.

The manual is coming along nicely. I have inserted images for each card as well as some for example readings. I actually cut the number of indices down to two due to time constraints. With the way things are moving, progress will slow slightly but I don't think it will change the availability date.

I wanted to share an excerpt from the reader's manual here to give those interested a feel for how it will read and what they can expect. The manual covers everything from how to read with the cards to timing methods. Currently it's 89 pages in Word. There will be links to each section and a "back" link at the end of these sections to trail back to the table of contents. This will allow readers to gain easy access to meanings of the cards as they read. I don't think this manual will be available in print for a while, but it will be available in digital format. More info to come on this.

EXCERPT FROM THE PLUTONIAN ORACLE MANUAL:

READING AND WRITING OUT THE READING

A bit similar to the tarot when reversals are read, the Plutonian Oracle has a mode in which cards appear. For example, when the Hidden card comes up inverse it means that whatever is hidden will come to light or be revealed, indicated by the sun glyph appearing upright. The reader may go by its assigned title, "Revealed" placing the mode in parentheses. In the example below, the Hidden and Involvement cards are inverted while the Enemy card is not.

Hidden (revealed) - Involvement (unhappy) - Enemy (hidden) 

As an option, the word "inverse" may be written out to clarify what position the card is in. The example below includes two options in which the syntax may be written:

OPTION #1: Hidden inverse (revealed) - Involvement inverse (unhappy) - Enemy (hidden)

OPTION #2: Hidden (inverse: revealed) - Involvement (inverse: unhappy) - Enemy (hidden)

If an indicator has no name and no sample can be found in this manual or other resource, then the reader is free to appropriately style an indicator name in its place.

For more samples on how to title untitled indicators as well as to learn about the syntax of the oracle, please see Index I, "Sample Readings." 

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Thank you for staying updated and please check back for more updates.

Monique