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Written By: Nora Paskaleva
Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
Number of cards: 44
Card size: 5 in x 3 in
Box size: 5.75 x 3.75 x 1.75 in
Guidebook pages: 112
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy gifted from U.S. Games Systems

Absolute favorite card: Overcome Fear
Other favorites: Success, Growth of Energy, Finding Love, Defense, Divine Guidance, Healing Energy, Knowledge, Balanced Emotions
Notable detail: black gilded edges, tracing paper
Season: Winter
Sabbat: Samhain
Sign: Scorpio
Tarot Deck compliment: TBD

A *look at my favorite cards from the deck*

First Impressions: I have been waiting for a deck with black gilded edges and the Talisman Oracle finally delivered. That is hand’s down, my favorite thing about the deck and what stood out immediately. I also loved the cover which features a bee taken from the Confidence card, something that has been a huge synchronicity for me lately both bees and confidence. So I’m kind of all over this deck and with the first pass, I found lots of things that I really liked about the Talisman Oracle.

The Packaging

The box is nice and sturdy. It’s one solid piece with a flip top magnetic lid. It’s also full color and has a nice little detail around the edges which contrast quite nicely to the dark colored top. The cards are more on the thin side but are still a little stiff, just out of the box. And as I mentioned, the edges are gilded in black which I think is just so cool. The cards are gloss which looks quite nice in person but they were a little hard to photo. They pick up a lot of glare so something to keep in mind if you photo and post your cards.

The most interesting thing about the packaging is the inclusion of vellum paper so that you can trace the sigils from the guidebook and carry them as personal talismans. I thought that was clever and a nice way to add another use to this deck. You have plenty of paper too. You could probably trace each symbol two or three times. They come housed in a shiny black envelope which fits inside the box.

The Guidebook

The guidebook has plenty of goodies. I very much appreciated the note on toxic positively vs. genuine positivity. I had just had a meaningful conversation with a business associate and his wife about this topic the day before I first looked through this deck. And I think it’s worth reading if you decide to buy it. Another section I enjoyed is the “Talisman Cards and Religion” part and how these cards can serve as prayer. I loved that. I don’t believe religion can’t exist in mysticism. For me, God was never the problem, its religious systems created by judgmental and tyrannical men that caused the issue. But even if you’re not into God, these cards can serve as prayer to deities, the universe, the earth, or whatever divine power you like.

There are two “spreads” although technically the first is a small list of three card spreads and then one larger, seven card spread. Each card has a divination meaning, an affirmation, and a visualization practice which is called “Talisman Power.” Additionally, You can find a sigil for each card which is what the vellum paper is for. The guidebook also has paragraphs on charging your cards, sacred geometry, and using the cards with tarot.

I’m finding more and more people talk about combining tarot with oracle cards which is nice. I’ve done this nearly since day one of my reading practice but even now, more than ten years later, many people tell me they don’t know how to do it or didn’t even know they could. It’s a small paragraph in the book but I think that small note can make a big difference for a beginner.

The Artwork

While pretty much monochrome, the artwork has a lot of depth and symbolism to it. There’s a lot to look at and pick out. My favorite card is Overcome Fear which was a HUGE confirmation for me. I cannot even begin to explain other than it represents a brand I’ve been too afraid to do for years. I made the logo ages ago which happens to be a lantern, the main component of the card’s image. Not two days before seeing this card, a friend push me to work on the brand. In fact, she specifically said “toss away your fear and get going.” Then seeing this card!! Looks like alignment to me.

Some of my other favorites also represent meaningful things to me. I have a dragon fly tattoo on my hand corresponding to the Divine Guidance card, I’m an author and there’s a book on AND a lantern btw, on the Knowledge card, I’m a scorpio and there is a scorpion on Defense, and jellyfish—Balanced Emotions— and seahorses—Finding Love— are some of my favorite animal energies. I bet you could find several things that are meaningful to you as well. Continued below…

Purchase Talisman Oracle

Readings with this deck are pretty intuitive. The card names are straight forward so if you didn’t want to read without the guidebook, even as a beginner, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble. And I think this deck would be a great companion to a tarot reading as the book suggested, especially to pull one of the Talisman’s as the energy of the reading.

I like the deck all in all. I’m personally planning on using it for friends and family. The color is simple enough for me to place it on my coffee table without it standing out too much so that people can pull one when they come over. I have a lot of people in my life who aren’t mystics but are interested and like to ask questions. This deck feels like a great way for them to be curious without getting too involved. It isn’t super witchy or esoteric and the symbolism is pretty universal so even someone with a very small interest in these topics will probably enjoy it or resonate with something.

Season, Sign and Sabbat

I knew this deck would be a winter deck from the start. The dark tones, the black and the reserved colors pretty much scream winter time. And I decided to go with Samhain for the sabbat. The black feels very scorpio-esque but also, my interview with the deck said this is primarily a deck for protection and dealing with negativity. These are themes I find I need from October to December.

I also like Capricorn. It feels like a straightforward, no nonsense deck to work with. It’s well structured and grounded which made me think of Capricorn, not to mention the connection to winter again.

Who is this deck for?

This is an easy deck to work with so I think you’ll get something out of it regardless of your experience. But I do think it’s great for your esoteric curious friend who wants to learn more about reading with oracle cards but isn’t ready to pick up something super deep like Witch Sister Tarot. This deck isn’t lacking depth but I get the sense it’s made to resonate with many different kinds of people and levels of interest.

Tarot Deck Companion

I haven’t found a tarot companion yet. Nothing really stood out to me. Usually I get a sense right away but I didn’t with this one so I’m waiting until something sticks out. I’m kind of thinking the Wild Unknown but we’ll see. I’ll update you here when I find something.

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