Playing Card Oracles by CJ Freeman and Ana Cortez

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anacortez

Playing Card Oracles by CJ Freeman and Ana Cortez

Post by anacortez »

Hello to the forum.
This post is about The Playing Card Oracles decks. They are regular 52 card decks with extraordinary illustrations, for use with The Playing Card Oracles way of reading cards (full length book: The Playing Card Oracles, A Source Book for Divination.)
Currently, there are 2 different versions you can purchase, one that is simply called The Playing Card Oracles, and one that is The Playing Card Oracles, Alchemy Edition.
The first matches the illustrations found in the "Source Book" mentioned above and probably comes with an insipid little booklet, completely useless. Don't bother. Get the book.
This deck was illustrated by my late Father in collaboration with myself. First self published back in 2002 and then by US Games Systems, their version is the one you will find on Amazon, etc... I am currently liquidating all remaining copies of the rare self published version at my website's store (https://store.anacortez.com) now known as the "vintage version." (No booklet. Just a naked deck tied in ribbon.)
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The second deck, the "Alchemy Edition," is actually the very first deck my father created, in a complete fit of creative genius back in about '79 - '81. (http://anacortez.com/new-alchemy-editio ... j-freeman/ ) A large oil painting (most 42.5" tall) for all of the 52 cards, and with that spasm of originality birthed the entire system now known as The Playing Card Oracles. My father, sadly, died without seeing this deck ever published. I published it after his passing, along with a 14 page PDF that fills in gaps so it can be read using techniques in "The Source Book" as well. (book found at https://store.anacortez.com or https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Card-Ora ... 1572815221
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All of this material is completely unique, based on a natural code or language discovered by my father. The images in the decks express something beyond the mortal scope, timeless yet completely vital and relevant.
Thanks for this opportunity to share <3

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Belinda2
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Joined: 05 Jul 2017, 10:03
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Re: Playing Card Oracles by CJ Freeman and Ana Cortez

Post by Belinda2 »

It's good to know you have reprinted your book. Thank you

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Nemia
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Re: Playing Card Oracles by CJ Freeman and Ana Cortez

Post by Nemia »

I have both books as e-books (I live in a corner of the world where shipping is sky high). The Playing Cards Oracle book stays closer to the cards. I read it some time ago and found it inspiring. Actually, I really wish I hadn't neglected my art so because I'd love to buy a simple deck and illustrate it myself. I still would love to do that.

And the chapter about Geomancy is great; I've always wanted to learn that. (I Ching and Geomancy, will there be time in my lifetime to learn all i want to learn?) The author has such a deep understanding of it, wow, I don't think I could ever match that, no matter how much I learn :icon_lol:

This book is a key to Cortez/Freeman's decks but it is also a fascinating entryway into the world of playing cards and what they can tell us. This book can stand well alone. It's a very rich offering of knowledge - numerology, colour symbolism, geomanty, spreads, reading techniques... it's true to its name, a sourcebook of divination.

I'm so soaked in tarot that I still didn't really jump into the world of playing cards, and I'd probably struggle with the elemental associations in Cortez' books, at least at first - but I guess the secret is to learn to live with different explanations and associations and just let them be.

And the Oracle Alchemy book, which I'm reading now, is even more independent of the decks. Of course, I'm sure if you have the decks you get even more out of the books, but no book can save you the work to connect personally to a deck and make it speak. The dense web of personal life and cards that is spread out in this book is relevant to every card reader. I made me think of my own life, past, decisions, pains and hopes, and how they're reflected in the cards. That's not new for me, with tarot, I do it all the time - but I was for some reason not aware that playing cards can't reach so deep. (Probably didn't even think about it)

So much wisdom, written very clearly, and what is best: books that evoke an inner reaction, a kind of inner dialogue about divination with an experienced, creative and respectful cartomancer.


Last bumped by Anonymous on 05 Mar 2018, 15:33.

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