Tarot and Oracle Decks to Illuminate Imbolc
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.
There is a uniquely transformative power in switching out your decks to mirror the changing energies of the cosmos. In the ever-evolving journey of spiritual work, the choice of decks we work with becomes a powerful tool for aligning with the energies of the Sabbats, seasons, and astrological signs.
We find ourselves just weeks away from Imbolc, a sacred time that marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. Imbolc heralds the stirring of life beneath the frozen earth, the first signs of spring, and the promise of renewal to come. In this blog post, we'll dive into my selection of tarot and oracle decks that harmonize with the energy of Imbolc.
Ghosts and Spirits Tarot
This is the tarot deck I’ve chosen to work alongside the Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle. Aesthetically, the tones are very similar with a base of blues and creams that are then layered with purple, brown, dark green and grey. It has such a strong winter quality to it and while there are some cards which feature plant material, the concept of ghosts and spirits in and of itself connects to the winter season, the period of death and spiritual connection.
Yule comes to mind first when you think of winter, leaving Imbolc often overlooked but Yule is just the initiation of winter. Whereas Imbolc is the dead center of winter and more winter-like than any other sabbat. So when I see a deck that is full of wintery imagery like Ghosts and Spirits tarot, I immediately think of Imbolc.
I’m using the Ghosts & Spirits Tarot along with the Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle for my $10 sabbat readings which you can find here.
Dreamkeepers Tarot
This is a new deck this year, gifted to me by U.S. Games Systems. I included it on the list because for one, the imagery is very wintery. It's dark and moody and desaturated. Aesthetics are very important to me and I really like to find decks and really everything that I use that feel like they carry the energy of the different seasons. This one feels most like winter to me although it does have some late fall vibes to it as well.
Energetically, I chose this deck because for me, dream activity is at an all time high between Samhain and Ostara so mid-autumn through the end of winter. In fact, I’ve had the most wild and mad dreams these past few weeks. Now it doesn’t really speak about dreams but the images do have a surreal, dream-like feeling. So while it doesn’t interpret your dreams in the traditional way, by that I mean something like seeing a balloon means xyz, I have found it to be a beautiful choice when using tarot to take a deeper dive into your dream activity.
I’ve never read Lenormand cards but I’ve just gotten my first deck, the Siren’s Song and my gut instinct is that the Dreamkeepers Tarot and Siren’s Song belong together. But I have never combined a Rider-Waite deck with Lenormand but I’m anxious to find out if it works. If you have any suggestions at all, please comment below.
Solitary Witch Oracle
I actually bought this deck to pair with the Seasons of the Witch Imbolc Oracle. The theme for SOTW Imbolc is the solitary witch. It's a deck dedicated to spending time alone whether in self lead ritual or simply to realign your spirit. So I knew the Solitary Witch Oracle would be a perfect companion.
Aesthetically, it's very moody and rich, lending itself to wintery energy. The artwork is quite muted and dark even though all eight of the sabbats and all four seasons are represented. There is no right or wrong time to practice solitary work but winter feels like a natural time to do so. You’re probably spending more time at home anyway so why not take that time to realign with yourself?
The names of the cards are quite charming and poetic and in many cases, pushed me to deeper understandings of what it means to be solitary. Whether you're introverted or extroverted, this deck will be a powerful ally in the weeks leading up to spring. It will take you on a journey of self-discovery you didn’t even know you needed.
Kuan Yin Oracle
I’ve had this deck for a long time and it is one of my favorite decks of all time. The energy is so gentle and while the middle of winter hardly brings to mind gentleness, the harshness of the coldest season does remind me to be kinder to myself. It's the first deck I grab when I need to invite some self-compassion and self-love into my life.
Kuan Yin is the Chinese goddess of mercy and compassion and it is said she appears whenever someone is in need of her. And that’s kind of how I view this deck. Working with it feels like a supportive hug when the world seems to be beating you up for no good reason. I find it to be really comforting during times of stress. Winter is usually a really challenging time for me, although this year is proving to be different for me which I am so grateful for. But in years past, winter has been a dramatic cycle of often devastating and hurtful change so I have used this deck during this time to help navigate the storms. And if winter is proving challenging for you too, I couldn’t recommend this one enough.
Like the others, the colors are very moody and desaturated although it's probably the warmest on the list. It features a lot of browns, muted golds, and warm maroons.
Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc
And of course, there’s my deck the Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle. In fact, my SOTW decks inspired me to assign tarot and oracle decks with a sabbat, sign and season.
This deck was made with Imbolc in mind, as the name suggests. It features images commonly associated with Imbolc like Brigid, Brigid’s doll, groundhog and coming of spring but also deep wintery symbols like snowflake, greenhouse, and black bear. The focus is on solitary work and realigning with yourself. And at the time of writing it, I was truly in that space. I had just gone through a string of really difficult circumstances and changes and I needed time to myself to figure out what I wanted in life.
Sometime ago, one of my guides told me to write what I needed most at the time so that’s what I did. And I found what I wrote helped me in so many ways. It was so therapeutic and probably the reason this winter has been so wonderful. I truly hope the same happens for you when working with this deck and while you can use it all year long, now is absolutely the best time to take advantage of its energy.
