First of all let me say that I have enjoyed most of Doreen's oracle decks. Generally speaking I think Doreen has made a great contribution with the creation of her many decks. A part from being all very beautiful, they provide people with easy and fun ways for both receiving guidance and for connecting with many kinds of beings beyond the veil. Her cards are always joyful, uplifitng and bring with them a feeling of magical enchantment. I am a fan!
In this deck we get to meet the usual angelic energies plus a variety of saints from the more orthodox religious tradition. The cards are accompanied by a booklet in which we find a brief story of the life of each saint depicted in the cards as well as an overview of each of their special contributions. The angel cards are less detailed and more striclty oracle orientated.
The cards are very good for connecting with the qualities that these saints supposedly embodied. The deck is very useful for stimulating and awakening those qualities in oneself. They are also good to use as tools for illuminating areas of the self that need developing or that need to be boosted to achieve one's goals.
With their beautiful artwork and inspired energy, these cards will be a very nice addition to your oracle card collection :-)!
"The Saints and Angels Oracle Cards will help you lovingly and safely connect with Heaven. These cards help you to better hear the messages and guidance that the Holy Trinity, the angels, and the saints have for you and your loved ones." - From the companion booklet
In her newest deck, angel therapist and clairvoyant Doreen Virtue presents 44 cards designed to help individuals to hear guidance from saints, angels, and Christian deities.
Like her previous decks, Saints & Angels Oracle Cards feature artwork culled from a variety of artists. As such, the thirteen artists contribute their own visions of particular saints, angels, and celestial images to this particular deck. Over half the cards (23) are attributed to a general "Guardian Angel", indicating a message from a personal angel. Seventeen cards feature popular Catholic saints including "St. Mother Theresa" who, while beatified, isn't technically a saint. Two Archangels make it into the deck-St. Raphael and St. Michael-and the remaining four cards are dedicated to the Catholic quadrinity: God, Mother Mary, Holy Spirit, and Christ.
A 110-page booklet accompanies the deck and the introduction is similar to that of other Virtue decks: rapping a knuckle on the deck to clear energies, shuffling, preparing for a reading, and interpreting a 3-card spread. In this guidebook, Doreen adds that you can read into the future by drawing 7 cards for every day of the upcoming week or 12 cards for every upcoming month of the year. Approximately a page and a half further elaborates on the message of each card.
Some of the individuals making an appearance in the Saints & Angels Oracle Cards include:
* St. Bernadette - Speak Your Truth
* St. Christopher - Safe Travel
* St. Joan of Arc - You're a Leader
* St. Nicholas of Myra - Generosity
* St. Padre Pio - Healing
* St. Hildegard of Bingen - Believe
* St. Agnes of Rome - Don't Compromise
* St Francis of Assisi - Animals
* St. Mary Magdalene - Forgiveness
Some of the general Guardian Angel cards address issues such as:
* Optimism
* Vision
* Stress Management
* Practice Makes Perfect
* Look Deeper
* Wise Decision
* Sleep
* Reward
* Be Brave
* Retreat
I did a 3-card reading with this deck and the results were broad but decently accurate. I did another 3-card reading and it didn't seem to make much sense. Later, I did a 1-card reading about my 7-year old son. In both this reading and the first one, I got the St. Joan of Arc card. Perhaps the spirit realm wants me to remember that I'm a role model that inspires and influences others. However, I didn't find the reading comforting or particularly insightful. (Maybe I'm just tired of leading by default!) On the other hand, perhaps the vagueness is a result of my lack of affinity with saints and angels.
If you enjoy Doreen's other angel decks and have an affinity for saints, you'll most likely enjoy this deck. However, because of the general nature of both the Guardian Angels and the subject matters, I couldn't help but think of Cheryl Richardson's Self Care Cards-and how that deck would make a great alternative to the Saints & Angels Oracle Cards. My personal favorite is Doreen's Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards, but if you can't connect with goddesses (I didn't think *I* could until I tried that deck!) and are more comfortable with Christian deities, Catholic saints, and angels-this is a lovely oracle. If you're looking for a deck to use with children or want to tap into that magical, child-like part of yourself, take a peek at Doreen's Magical Unicorns Cards, as well.
By the way, if the gilt edging of the last two decks has spoiled you-the Magical Unicorns and Goddesses-you may be disappointed that this deck doesn't have it.
(To see 9 card images from the Saints & Angels deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)
