Tarot vs Oracle

The fifteen-year-old version of me (Hi! Sara here, Founder of The Sisters Enchanted) liked to fly under the radar.  

I didn’t really fit in and people generally gave me a sense of anxiousness that only highlighted this fact.  

It was April and I was visiting Disney World on a school band trip. I played the trumpet though I never practiced outside of school so I use the phrase “played the trumpet” loosely.  

Walking through the streets with my spending money burning a hole in my pocket, I lit up at the sight of the Disney Villain Store (as one does, naturally).  

And that is where I purchased my first tarot deck.  

I didn’t really know what it was or how to use it, I just knew it was for me.  

At the time, tarot wasn’t the popular thing it is now. The few people who learned that I had purchased the tarot deck thought it was the icing on my cake of otherness.

With the rise of popularity of tarot and along with it oracle cards, we’ve now taught tarot to thousands and thousands of people here at The Sisters Enchanted.  

And, the most commonly asked questions we get is: What is the difference between tarot and oracle cards? 

We’ve been getting this question since 2016 and it’s about time we answer it in one central location! 

First up, tarot.  

Tarot has my heart.  

I have my Master’s in Education and my state teaching certificate was for Secondary English.  

What’s this have to do with tarot? 

Tarot tells a story. It’s a linear progression that introduces the user to the many complexities of life.  

Anybody who loves a good story line or who loves to spin a tale of their own, is sure to enjoy tarot.  

A tarot deck is made up of two parts. The Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana is a series of 22 cards that, when placed in order, tell the story of the Fool’s Journey with the fool representing whoever is asking the questions of the cards or using them intentionally to cast a vision or understand their story in a new way.  

The other part of a tarot deck is the Minor Arcana which is comprised of four suits aligning with the elements (earth, air, fire, and water). These also tell their own story when placed in order.  

Each tarot deck that is created generally follows the same structure though the imagery and details used may be different.  

Learning to read tarot with one deck (generally speaking- there are a few different systems) will usually allow you to read tarot with any deck that you pick up. 

Oracle cards, on the other hand, are completely thematic and reliant on the author to decide what they will be about. Each and every deck is unique in it what it represents.  

Because there’s no structure involved in oracle cards (unless of course the author wrote one into the deck) they are fairly easy to pick up and begin using. There’s less of a desire to ‘get it right’ and make sure you’re interpreting the cards ‘correctly’.  

One is not better than the other, they are quite different.  

Tarot and oracle cards can be used separately or together and for similar purposes. And, tarot cards can be used as oracle cards. 

Here are some reasons why you might want to explore and use tarot cards: 

• • • You want to examine your life and future like a puzzle and put different elements together to understand your story in a new way 
    • The idea of exploring central themes along with in the moment details through your intuition is intriguing to you 
    • You like the thought of having a structure in place that allows for deep insight work 

And, here are a few reasons you might want to use oracle cards: 

• • • You have a topic that you absolutely love and think the idea of receiving wisdom based on that topic is fantastic (think deity, animals, crystals) 
    • Weaving together different themes and messages in a more abstract way seems appealing to you 
    • You prefer exploring separate bits of wisdom as opposed to a linear storyline   

Whichever type of deck you choose to work with, you really can make it your own.  

The most common roadblock to intuition and working with cards in a way that feels expansive and meaningful in in the desire to ‘do it right’. There is no right way.  

Here are a few more resources to help you learn a little more:

Magic Week Day 5 – Intuition, Expansion, Divination

Anna, (Left) and Sara of The Sisters Enchanted