Created By: Tammy Wampler
Publisher: Blue Angel Publishing (distributed through Llewellyn)
Number of cards: 45
Card size: 5.5 in x 3.75 in
Box size: 6.5 x 5 x 1.5 in
Guidebook pages: 120
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy gifted from Llewellyn

Absolute favorite card: West Wind (Swan Maiden)
Other favorites: Ritual (Wise Woman), Deep (Domnu), Transmute (Gullveig), Unfold (Hesione), South Wind (Ninlil), Balance (Laume), Dawn (Aurora), East Wind (Dakini), Foretell (The Oracle), Rest (Nott)
Notable detail: Two Persephone and two Lady of the Lake cards
Season: Autumn
Sabbat: All
Sign: Virgo
Tarot Deck compliment: The Moonchild Tarot

First Impressions: I was attracted to this deck right away. I tend to be attracted to really soft, muted artwork which is exactly what this is. But also, I used to do A LOT of goddess work for years. But somewhere along my journey, I stopped working with deities. I’m not even sure why but a few months ago, I started working on a project with my good friend Tenae who loves working with deities and wanted to include it in our project. We started researching and suddenly, I found myself falling back in love with goddess work and not very long after that, the chance to work with this deck came across my desk—divine timing as ever! So my first impression is that this is what I needed right now. More on that later. For now, let’s do packaging.

The Packaging

It’s your standard Blue Angel Box. My very first oracle deck EVER was from Blue Angel about a decade ago and they haven’t changed their boxes in all that time. I love to see new things and innovation but I absolutely love the size of their boxes. They are the only boxes with extra space around the cards which means I can easily add herbs, flowers and crystals to keep clear energy with my cards. I’ve put crystals and herbs in Blue Angel boxes, then set them on a shelf only to discover a surprise when I open it back up months or even years later. And the decks feel as fresh as every. So while I love creative things, if it ain’t broke, well, you know the rest.

I can’t recall a Blue Angel deck, at least that I have, with gilt edges. This one does not have gilt edges but I don’t mind really as this deck is very earthy. The cards are on the thicker side but still very easy to shuffle. I will say that the back of the cards are a bit plain. It’s just a purple background with a gold ring and I think that’s a shame. There are so many wheels and circles spread throughout the card’s images. Anyone one of them would’ve made a beautiful background. It feels like a missed opportunity to do something very intentional and aesthetically pleasing.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is “full color” but not quite the same as what full color means in a Llewellyn or Rockpool or even US Games deck. There are images of the cards but they are quite small. The rest of the book is pretty standard paper with black printing. There’s an introduction, space for notes in the back, a page on oracle decks for daily practice and one spread. There’s also a handy reference for the sacred days of the Wheel of the Year which includes the northern and southern hemisphere.

The Artwork

I absolutely love the inclusion of two Persephone cards. One is for her descent and the other is for her return. Likewise, Lady of the Lake has two cards; one to appear and one to disappear. While these pairings may seem similar, they really stand as their own energies. Persephone’s descent for example is about making the most out of your circumstances, finding your power, and letting go of the need to play the victim. While Lady of the Lake’s disappearance is about dissolving all of the old labels you’ve assigned yourself that are no longer accurate so that you can rebuild yourself in a more current image. I love this idea of having pairs. I think it was really clever and a great way to portray the complexities of life.

“These maidens appear in the Sky Wheel, representing space of the unmanifested.”

My favorite card is the West Wind (Swan Maiden). I had never heard the story of the Swan Maiden until recently reading about them in the Ghosts & Spirits Tarot. In fact, I had written that review just days before starting my work with this deck. Snow Maiden is also the cover image & what drew me to the deck in the first place. So when I saw the name of the card, it just felt aligned. I resonate so deeply with this story which is why I always examine my favorites cards first. There’ s wisdom, just in paying attention to what you’re naturally drawn to. Continued below…

Purchase Maidens of the Wheel

As always, I did an interview your deck spread (find the spread in my oracle decks or within the Spirit Realm member portal). I really enjoyed my reading, mainly because it forced me to examine some things about myself. I don’t really enjoy how long the interpretations are in Blue Angel books. I love the long meanings but I’m often too much in a rush to be bothered with the whole thing. In truth, I get bored with my own entries for the decks I have authored at times so it’s not exclusive to Blue Angel. I mention this because the deck interview made it clear, this is the deck to work with when I’m ready to work on my patience and being more grounded. What better way to honor the deck’s advice than to actually read each entry.

As for the meanings, the entries explain a lot about the legend and lore of each maiden so it’s definitely worth the read through at least once. And I loved the inclusion of the Daily Practice, specifically the suggestion to ask the cards which cycle you’re in. It can be a challenge to see where one cycle shifts into another; it’s not always clear. But you can easily pull one card a day or week from this deck to determine your current season and that is just a simple but brilliant idea.

I’ve only worked with this deck a little bit but I do really enjoy it and I’m looking forward to working with it later in the year, especially for Virgo season. Late summer feels like the perfect time to pull it out. It’s very pretty, soft and feminine, the cards are easy to shuffle and the box is nice and sturdy. I think it will make a great gift for someone who is wanting to work more with nature or to do goddess work.

Season, Sign and Sabbat

The cards are intended to represent the Wheel of the Year but I felt the strongest presence of autumn. The colors are warm, almost as if every card danced in the sunset. All of the cards feel ethereal and spiritual with a sprinkle of mysticism. Much like Witch Sister Tarot, I get the sense these women stand outside space and time. The artwork gives you that feeling that they are a part of the earth and yet, completely separate; playing by their own rules and appearing when they feel it necessary.

Because this deck is based on the Wheel of the Year, I have decided to assign it to all sabbats as that is the intended use anyway. There isn’t any real delineation in the book, indicating which card belongs to which season but you can more or less figure it out by reading the meanings.

As for the zodiac sign, I’m going with Virgo. My good friend Tenae and I often discuss the priestess component that is overlooked for Virgo. Yes this sign represents hard work and dedication but there is also a strong connection to alchemy and connecting with the pure essence of the divine. Pisces (who often gets the priestess association) and Virgo are really two sides of the same coin and I find it so fascinating how much they actually have in common, just expressed in opposite ways.

Who is this deck for?

If you’re into goddess work then this is a great deck for you. You’ll find the familiar ones like Artemis and the Morrigan but also some maidens who are not goddesses like Queen Elizabeth. I think it’s a great beginnger deck for accessing not really feminine wisdom but more Mother Earth wisdom I think is a better word. It’s very grounded and supportive. I feel like if Mother Earth were a woman who wrote an oracle deck, this would be it.

Tarot Deck Companion

For a companion, I’m kind of feeling an oldie but goodie, the Moonchild Tarot. I keep hearing the word “priestess” while working with Maidens of the Wheel and when I was looking over my tarot collection, that was also the word that came to mind when I picked up the Moonchild tarot. And sure enough, their energies feel like a match. I wouldn’t say the are close aesthetic wise but in terms of resonance, I don’t think you can go wrong with this pairing.

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.

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