THE MAORI ORACLE
ISBN-10: 076434384X
Author/Artist: P.A. Minnell
Schiffer Publishing
This is a deck of 58 oracle cards that follow the traditions
of New Zealand ’s
Maori. The cards and book come in
Schiffer’s trademark sturdy box with magnetic lid. Also following Schiffer’s style, the cards
are fairly large. The first thing you
will notice is that the cards have one prominent symbol, the word across the
bottom. The green background has layers
of meaning. The Maori Oracle Deck was designed to help us reconnect with ancestors
that have passed on. The deck is meant
to be a Sacred Object and there are instructions about how to care for it in
the companion book. Each card front has
a Taonga image - which is considered to be a National Treasure – set against a
background of green that is to represent or imitate the Pounamu (greenstone) which
is New Zealand Jade. The card faces also
have a pattern that make up the border.
Each pattern has a specific meaning that is explained in the guide book. There is great emphasis given to the idea
that these cards are being used to work with your Ancestors and should be
treated with the utmost respect. There
are ideas and rituals discussed as well as ways in which you can honor your
deck.
The Maori Oracle is meant to do readings for yourself; P.A.
Minnell explains that the guidance you receive is from your own ancestors. After preparing for your reading the cards
are to be cut into three stacks. Each
stack represents the three divine sources of knowledge. The Maori call these “three baskets”. You must order the three “baskets” (stacks)
of cards as you select a card from each basket you need to remember which one
you selected it from. The First Basket is
the knowledge of the physical world.
The Second Basket is the knowledge of ceremonies, customs,
laws and what is right and just. The
Third Basket relates to knowledge that is concealed. There are three sample
readings to guide you on how to use these cards.
What I have provided here is the briefest of overviews
concerning the care and usage of the Maori Oracle Deck, there is so much more
to this that I couldn't begin to contain it in a review. (To better understand this deck and get a
sense of the energetic feeling of The Maori tradition I performed a reading for
myself which can be seen in a later post.)
What I came away from this review with is a sense that there are many ways
to access the Sacred, Spirit and your Ancestors. I’m intrigued with New
Zealand ’s traditions and the guidebook has
been an adventure in a culture that I find fascinating. This deck has a mellow, warm energy to it and
in my opinion would be suitable for anyone to work with. The guidebook offers enough information for
you to comfortably work with the cards, not to worry about the language being
new, there are pronunciations for each of the cards in the book.
I look forward to gaining insight from my ancestors in a way
that’s different from anything that I've experienced so far. There really is a “feeling” of Sacred
Tradition with this deck so if you’re ready to explore communing with ancestors
you should give this deck a try.
Website:
A review for Schiffer Publishing
