*This page may contain affiliate links which may allow us to collect a commission when you click and make a purchase through the links on our site. There is no additional cost to you for doing so.*

Created By: Tarn Ellis
Publisher: Rockpool Publishing
Number of cards: 36
Card size: 5 x 3.5 in
Box size: 65.5 x 4 x 1 in
Guidebook pages: 86
Purchased or gifted?: gifted by Rockpool Publishing

Absolute favorite card: River
Other favorites: Wildflower, Mountain, Bee, Waterfall, Rain, Fruit, Mushroom
Notable detail: amber sides
Season: Autumn
Sabbat: Ostara
Sign: Pisces

Element: Earth
Tarot Deck compliment: Earth Woman Tarot

First Impressions

I’ve probably said this a million times but Rockpool always has consistently amazing packaging. That’s a big reason why I’m still happy to have my own decks produced by Rockpool. There’s always something that makes their decks feel luxe. In this case, it's the texture on the box and the color on the sides. It feels very luxurious, even when looking at photos of it online. I actually saw this last year while it was still in production and I knew I had to have it. It's really beautiful so let’s dive in.

The Packaging

The packaging is stunning. My very favorite detail about the whole deck is the amber/ burgundy sides. The color looks more on the reddish orange side in the photos but its deeper in real life. More of a deep reddish rust. It's such an unusual color and I absolutely love it. It reminds me of autumn, what more can I say? Rockpool loves to use striking colors for the edges, a move I fully support. The box has a nice texture to it which I really appreciate. I love it when a book or deck has a texture because it stimulates the senses and makes it a more rounded experience. If I had to describe it, I would say it feels like canvas.

The cards are fairly easy to shuffle but may be just a hair on the thick side. They’ll soften with time but they are pretty stiff straight out the box. The top and bottom of the box is printed with a nice little saying and the whole thing is in a very soothing palette of reddish browns. I love brown and just neutral colors in general so I was so excited for this one. So many (and I say this with a sigh) oracle decks are so brightly colored. I wish there were more decks in these muted tones. It's starting to become more popular but it's slow progress for sure.

I’ve probably said this a lot too but I repeat because I think people need to know that bright colors are much more challenging on your nervous system. If you find you’re anxious or overwhelmed all of the time, it could be related to the colors you surround yourself with. Obviously this isn’t medical advice but I do believe in the power of colors and I know from personal experience how muted tones really help with mood.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is full color as is the Rockpool way. I love being able to see a full color image of the card. I think it makes it easier to identify the card in the guidebook whereas black and white images tend to distort details. It's on the thinner side but the meanings aren’t short in any way. Each card has three keywords, a descriptive phrase, a description of the card’s main element (star, mushroom, river, etc) and then the advice.

Additionally, you’ll find an introduction, a section on how to use the cards and three spreads. Not a whole lot of information but certainly enough to get by. One thing I do want to point out is that Ellis offered a way to use the cards that I can’t say I’ve really seen before. She says pull a card without needing a question to answer; just to see what comes up. That seems simple and it is but it's a subtle change that makes a difference.

Often I’ll tell someone to ask “what do I need most right now?” if they can’t think of a question to ask but I really love the idea of not having a question at all. It opens you up infinite possibilities and actually this makes total sense because many of the cards refer to opening yourself in this way. I didn’t really see this idea mirrored in the intro but you can tell that is the goal, whether it was intentional or not.

The Artwork

Oh, to my favorite part. The artwork is so lovely. The whole thing is mostly browns and reds and shades of autumn. It is so soothing, grounding, muted and cozy. The term muted gets such a bad connotation but I view it as peaceful rather than dull. My dad just got a super high def tv and I really don’t like it. It's so clear and so sharp, everything just feels off. It doesn’t feel like real life because real life isn’t that bright or sharp. When you look around, the world is much softer than HD screens. Which is partly why getting out in nature is so calming.

All of this to say, I think Ellis did such a great job capturing the softer tones of the earth. I’ve traveled a lot and I’ve been to some really lush places and even those places feel soft in tone. I really sense that same energy here and I love how the flowers are brown, the water is brown, the fruit and all of the elements are in this earthy tone. It makes everything feel so much more grounded.

“The card will mean different things to you at different points in time, so allow yourself to feel into the card.”

My favorite card is called River. First of all, I love that word so much and I love this image too. It shows a woman whose hair is the river, flowing for miles behind her. She’s so deeply connected to the landscape around her and yet, she keeps walking on. Stunning! My second favorite is Mountain, which is also the image on the box and funny enough, it has a river in the center too. Per usual, I can go on and on about my favorite cards but there are plenty of photos down below for you to check out.

Purchase Earth Song Oracle

*Serpent with the collective pull: Dragonfly*

Reading With this Deck

So far, I have found my readings to be pretty accurate. All of the cards went together and told an obvious story that lined up with what I needed to hear. I find this deck to be so grounding but funny enough, the interview told me I should work with this deck when I need to feel lighter. It also said I should work with this deck in solitude and I felt that deeply. It feels like a deck where you can shut yourself off in a mountain cabin for a weekend and just enjoy your own company.

With that said, I have not found this deck to be ideal for daily pulls, at least not for me. I really enjoy it when I’m doing deeper, longer readings but I don’t seem to resonate with it on a daily basis. But again, the interview did tell me to use this deck in solitude. Keep in mind, that might not be the case for you. That’s why it's always important to do your deck interview so that you can understand what your deck needs from you to be successful.

Check out the Interview Your Deck spread in any of my oracle decks or in the member portal. You can also check out The First Draw: Strengthening Your Connection with a New Tarot Deck in the member portal.

Collective Pull

I pulled Dragonfly for you. This card speaks to the power of adaptability. To go a level deeper, this card invites you to embrace the inevitable ups and downs of life. You will be pulled this way and that, pushed to the side, uplifted and then fall again. These are not indications you’ve done anything wrong. It’s the universe’s way of moving you on the chess board, each step bringing you closer to who you’re supposed to be. Think of your life like a sculpture. You start as one solid block when you’re board and then piece by piece, the things you don’t need are chipped away until eventually, you become a smooth work of art. The process may be uncomfortable and there will be times when the vision doesn’t seem clear but know that you are well on your way to becoming exactly who you came to this planet to be.

Season, Sign Element and Sabbat
The season is autumn, no question about it. This whole deck feels like a study of autumn tones with a rich selection of browns, ambers, and deep purples. And fall is such a grounding season, such an earthy season. When I look at this deck, I feel like I can slow down, take a deep breath and just bask in the solidity of nature which is what I think about fall too. As for the element, it’s pretty clear to me this deck is earth.

I went with Pisces for the zodiac sign. It would have been easy to pick an earth sign like Capricorn; however, I didn’t feel that it captured the essence of this deck. First of all, the zodiac signs build upon one another. So that means each sign has a little bit of all the signs that came before it; Pisces having a little bit of every sign from Aries to Aquarius. So Pisces is grounding in its own way, even though it doesn’t seem like it. I also think being connected to nature brings to mind earthly things, grounding things but I believe there is a deeply intuitive experience that comes from being so settled in nature. One of Pisces’s main goals is to learn to ground their transcendent nature into the physical and I think working with this deck would be a great way to do so during Pisces Season.

I chose Ostara for the sabbat mostly because I couldn’t decide between winter and spring and since Ostara is the transition between the two, it seems right to make this the sabbat. There’s a lot of warmth in this and lushness even though it's enveloped in wintery tones. I felt it important to honor both seasons as I think this deck would be lovely for Imbolc and then well into spring.

Who is this deck for?

If you have a lot of earth and water in your birth chart or you feel a strong connection to earth and water then this is for you. I can’t really explain but this deck feels like the point where earth and water connect. It feels grounded and yet it has so much flow and openness to it. I also think if you like The Herbal Astrology Oracle or the Sacred Cycles Oracle then you will really appreciate this one. The artwork has that same earthy, grounded, muted quality to it and I think all three decks would play together beautifully.

Also, if you’re an earthy and soulful sort of person then I feel like this is right up your alley. If you love natural materials, desaturated colors, lots of plants and soothing spaces then this is your vibe.

Tarot Deck Companion

Tarn has a wonderful tarot deck called the Earth Woman Tarot that is perfect to go with this one. If a creator has a tarot and oracle deck, I feel like it's a must to use them together. The writing style will be the same and even if the art is a little different like it is with these two, you will see clear similarities that express the essence of the creator.

Be sure to check out my review of the Earth Woman Tarot here.

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love. In the meantime, please enjoy a variety of photos from this deck.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co