The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid & Jena Dellagrottaglia Maldonado

, 10 Apr 2021

I didn't know anything about this deck when I first picked it up, a decade ago. I just liked the deck cover image. Talk about intuition! However, it has become of one of my favourite and most reliable decks. This is one of my top 3 oracle decks, and that's basically based on the connection that I have with these cards, the way my energy connects with them, and the fact that the deck seems to respond to my queries quite accurately and quite on point. I find amazing the way that the cards seem to reflect my mood, what is happening in my life, what is coming next, and are able to give me advice on pressing matters. This is what any oracle deck should be doing, right?, but not many do.
 
This is a deck perfect for intuitive readings as the deck is not overtly focused on any specific energy (for ex. matters of the heart or career matters) just general life energies. 
 
 I've been using this deck for about a decade, and I've recently bought a new hard copy of the deck. I alternate use between the app version and the hard copy.
 
THE CONCEPT
The oracle is inspired, as others by Colette, on both the tarot, I-chin, and Norse culture. The deck was created as a companion to the book The Map, but it can be used without having to check the book out. That's my case and it has always worked for me. The texts are great, very much in tune with the magic realms or whatever you want to call that something that is nothing but compasses everything.
 

THE ARTWORK
The production design and artwork are excellent and, despite the decade it has elapsed since first came out to the market, the artwork feels modern and fresh. Colouring is excellent but the original edition of the deck was more chic. 
 
The digital collages and illustrations by Jean Dellagrottaglia are colourful, whimsical and full of magic. They don't have that cheap-photoshop-pastiche feeling that puts me off with so many other decks. This deck is truly stylish and gorgeous.
 
 
CHANGES IN THE ORACLE
The edition I'm now reviewing is different from the one I first bought and the app that replicates it. The cards meaning marquee and the number have different style and lettering and the cards have no marquee. The old ones had an elegant golden marquee, and the meaning was inside a golden scroll marquee. So, the current edition is less polished and enchanted than the original.
 
Besides, three cards imagery has changed: 33, 36 and 52. Card 33 has a very similar scene but the jumping character is a black girl, and card 52 has also a totally different image with a black woman. Both changes are very much of my liking and reflect racial diversity. Besides, card 36 Commitment, which had a more romantic image in the original, has now a more neutral imagery in this deck edition.

 
 

 
THE DECK QUALITY
This is one of the old Hay House productions and you can see the difference in care and quality with HH  current decks. This deck is just fabulous:
>  Glossy flexible good quality cardboard that is light, so the deck is not heavy or bulky.
> Easy pleasurable deck to shuffle.
> Good quality box packing.
> The guidebook is printed on decent paper and has decent content re the concept behind the deck, how to use the cards, and upright and reverse card meanings. 


 
DOWNSIDE
> Cards are on the large side and you might struggle shuffling them if you have small hands.
> This deck is less enchanted in design production than the original edition.

 

Posted in , , , , , , , , , , ,

0 Response to "The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid & Jena Dellagrottaglia Maldonado"

Post a Comment

Comments are Moderated

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)