Oracle Reading Room

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 30, 2025, 10:41pm

A welcoming space to practice oracle readings. Visit part one to explore The Court of Light and Shadow and suggested reading exercises, or skip to part two to explore oracle exercises with any oracle deck. Enjoy!

PART I - The Court of Light and Shadow

A living oracle for the turning year

Beloved coven,

Tonight, I want to share something that has grown quietly and patiently at my hearth. The Court of Light and Shadow is not only an oracle deck and guidebook, but the beginning of a yearly devotional practice.

(AI)

Join me on a very special Journey!

A Brief History of Oracle Decks (AI)

Oracle decks are older than their modern forms suggest.

Long before printed cards, people sought guidance through stones, bones, symbols, dreams, nature signs, and spoken oracles. Oracle decks evolved as a flexible, intuitive counterpart to structured systems like tarot.

Unlike tarot, oracle decks are not bound to a single tradition, number system, or hierarchy. Each deck creates its own language. Its own cosmology. Its own rules of engagement.

Oracle readings invite relationship rather than mastery. They ask the reader to listen, interpret, and respond rather than decode.

In many ways, oracle decks are conversations with spirit, shaped by the creator and completed by the reader.

This deck was born during a season when I was learning to hold two truths at once: that light does not erase shadow, and shadow does not mean absence of light. That lesson kept returning through my healing, my spiritual practice, and my ancestry. I realized balance is not a destination. It is a rhythm.

The Court came to me as whispers, images, and presences. Not purely benevolent, not cruel, but honest. Over time, they revealed themselves as a living court: radiant figures, unsettling guides, quiet witnesses. All necessary. All holding a place in the cycle.

Because of this, The Court of Light and Shadow is meant to be worked with across an entire year.

Each month carries a theme, a tone, and a set of questions that invite reflection rather than prediction. The Court does not rush us. It meets us where the season stands, whether that season is one of growth, grief, rest, or reckoning.

My intention is to return to the Court together, year after year, letting its messages deepen as we do.

(ALL IMAGES WERE CREATED WITH AI ASSISTANCE)

What this Deck means to Me

This deck is a mirror and a lantern.

It reminds me that growth does not come only from comfort, and healing does not require perfection. The Court teaches that we are allowed to be in process. To grieve and bloom in the same breath. To be fierce and tender without apology.

Each card stands as a member of a living court. Light and Shadow are not enemies here. They are co-rulers.

This is a deck for reflection, not prediction. For conversation, not command. For sitting with what is, instead of forcing what should be.

Why I’m Sharing it With You

I am sharing The Court of Light and Shadow because this coven understands liminal space.

You know how to sit with questions. You know how to honor complexity. And you know that magic deepens when it is shared, not hoarded.

This deck does not belong only to me. It becomes richer when others bring their lived experiences, their intuition, their laughter, and their stories to it.

I offer it to the coven not as a finished object, but as a living tool we can explore together.

DRAW A CARD (LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO THE DAILY DRAW)

ornate-zuccutto-8168d7.netlify.app

The Guidebook

The_Court_of_Light_and_Shadow_Guidebook.pdf (4.2 MB)

A Yearly Court Practice

In addition to being an oracle deck and guidebook, The Court of Light and Shadow is designed to be worked with as a daily, monthly, and yearly practice.

Each month of the year carries:

A guiding theme
A daily question for every day of the month
A monthly affirmation
A ritual aligned with the New Moon and any seasonal or sabbat energies

Rather than rushing through the Court, we walk with it slowly. One card a day. One question at a time. Each month becomes a chapter, each year a deeper conversation.

At the start of every month, we return to the Court together to open the next theme, explore its questions, and align our ritual work with the turning of the Wheel.

JANUARY 2026 — THRESHOLDS & TRUTH

Court Theme: Standing between what was and what will be
Seasonal Tone: Stillness, honesty, liminality
Energetic Focus: Clearing, naming, intention-setting without force

January is the doorway month. Nothing has fully begun, and nothing is fully finished. The Court asks us not to rush forward, but to stand still long enough to hear the truth beneath the noise.

Daily Oracle Questions for January 2026 (AI)

You may pull one card per day or sit with a single card across several days if the Court asks you to linger.

January 1
What energy am I carrying into this new year?

January 2
What am I being invited to release gently?

January 3
What truth has been waiting for my attention?

January 4
Where am I still holding onto the past out of fear?

January 5
What part of me is asking for rest, not resolution?

January 6
What belief about myself is ready to be questioned?

January 7
What am I afraid will change if I step forward?

January 8
What does safety feel like in my body right now?

January 9
What shadow am I avoiding, and why?

January 10
What strength have I forgotten that I carry?

January 11
Where am I being asked to slow down?

January 12
What truth feels heavy, but necessary?

January 13
What am I allowed to begin again?

January 14
What boundary wants to be set this year?

January 15
What am I ready to forgive myself for?

January 16
What role do I keep playing that no longer fits?

January 17
What does my intuition whisper when I stop listening to fear?

January 18
What seed is ready to be planted, even if unseen?

January 19
What part of me feels unseen or unheard?

January 20
What clarity arrives through stillness?

January 21
What truth strengthens me when I accept it?

January 22
What am I holding that is not mine to carry?

January 23
What does balance look like at this moment?

January 24
Where can I soften without losing myself?

January 25
What choice feels honest, even if uncomfortable?

January 26
What inner voice deserves more trust?

January 27
What am I learning about patience?

January 28
What threshold am I standing before now?

January 29
What intention wants my devotion this year?

January 30
What truth am I finally ready to speak?

January 31
What blessing do I carry forward into the next month?

January Affirmation

I honor the threshold I stand upon.
I allow truth to rise without force.
I step forward with honesty, balance,
and trust in my becoming.

(AI)

January Ritual

Ritual Details (AI)

New Moon Threshold Rite

Purpose: To consciously step into the year with clarity and balance
Timing: On the January New Moon (or within 3 days)

You’ll need:

One white or silver candle (light)
One dark blue or black candle (shadow)
Your Court of Light and Shadow deck
A small bowl of water or salt
Paper and pen

Ritual Steps:

Create a quiet space. Place the two candles side by side, unlit. Set your deck between them.
Light the dark candle first, saying aloud:
I honor what I carry from the past.
Light the light candle, saying:
I welcome what seeks to be born.
Hold the deck to your heart. Draw one card as your Threshold Guardian for the month.
Write down what you are releasing and what you are inviting in. Do not overthink. Let honesty lead.
Dip your fingers into the water or touch the salt and say:
I stand between worlds, and I choose with intention.
Close by thanking the Court and extinguishing the candles, light first, then shadow.

Optional Sabbat Note:
January often carries energies of renewal, protection, and quiet devotion found in winter observances and hearth traditions. This ritual honors the deep winter pause before movement resumes.

January is not about proving anything.
It is about telling yourself the truth kindly.

(On February 1st, we’ll reconvene to open Devotion & Desire, deepen the practice, and welcome the next members of the Court.)

PART II - General Oracle Reading Exercises

Please feel free to use any oracle deck you’d like for the following reading exercises.

How to Participate

Take a moment to ground yourself and set your intention for the day’s question.
Draw one oracle card (you may draw more if that’s part of your practice).
Reflect on how the card responds to the question—emotionally, symbolically, or intuitively.
Journal, meditate, or simply sit with it.
Share your reflection in the coven if you feel called to. Sharing is always optional.

If a card doesn’t seem to fit, you may draw another—or explore why it feels resistant. We are practicing and having fun.

Optional Rituals & Practices

• Light a candle before drawing your card and name the question aloud.
• Place your drawn card under a cup of tea or water and reflect as you drink.
• Sit with the same card for three days to notice how its message evolves.
• Pair your card with a journal sentence beginning with “I notice…”
• Meditate on where you feel the card’s message in your body.

Keep rituals simple. Intention matters more than tools.

(AI)

ENJOY!! And BLESSED BE!

Feathertip · December 31, 2025, 3:07am

So beautiful! And your Guidebook looks both professional and very helpful.

I love the poem of Fae’s Blessing.

Great job!

I drew the Wind Dancer:

Liberation, Movement, Breath of Life, Joy, Release,
Expansion, Trusting the Leap, Unbound Spirit

Wind Dancer arrives when your spirit is ready to move without
permission. This card speaks of freedom reclaimed, momentum regained,
and the lightness that comes from letting go of what weighs you down. It
invites you to follow the pull of joy, even if the path is still forming beneath
your feet.

Beautiful message, and a stunning card, too!

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 3:26am

Thank you, sister! I hope the messages and the faeries bring you joy and satisfying reflection! It was great fun writing their story the last couple months!

dan3 · December 31, 2025, 3:53am

Oh my gosh! Such a well thought out system! And the cards are beautiful!

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 4:05am

Thank you, my friend! It was so much fun. I feel like I know every one of them so well! I hope everyone enjoys it! Creating the daily draw generator and working with code reminded me of my MySpace days. I was thankful for AI’s assist.

P.S. The professionalism comes from 30 years of being a healthcare professional and 5 1/2 years of college. Many, many, many presentations lol!

georgia · December 31, 2025, 4:17am

I drew Power Awakened. It is a disturbing card of a fairy wrapped by a snake. First impression is impending doom.

I’ll be back for more.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 4:23am

Not necessarily!

23. The Serpent’s Gift — Power Awakened

Keywords: Awakening, Kundalini energy, Inner fire, Sacred power, Transformation, Ancestral wisdom, Vital force, Embodied magic, Courage, Activation

The Serpent’s Gift marks the moment dormant power stirs. Something ancient rises within you not to dominate, but to illuminate. This card signals an activation of personal strength, intuition, and embodied magic that cannot be unlearned once felt.

Faerie Lore: In the twilight forests, the fae speak of the Serpent not as a tempter, but as a teacher who coils only around those ready to awaken. It is said the serpent travels the spine like a living flame, unsealing memory after memory, breath after breath. Fairies who receive this gift glow for days, their wings humming with heat and purpose, for the Serpent does not grant power lightly. It awakens what was always there. Those touched by its fire walk differently afterward. Grounded. Dangerous to illusions. Alive in their bones.

dan3 · December 31, 2025, 7:34am

Drawing one with a practice question (from a few months ago for Lenormand)

Q: What energy opens this new month for me?

(AI)

Keeper of Secrets. Keywords: Intuition, Inner knowing, Sacred silence, Trust, Hidden wisdom, Veiled truth, Discernment, Soul memory, Quiet power, Ancestral Insight Meaning

The card is generally about intuition - so I’ll go with that. Here is more from the manual:

This card speaks of wisdom that does not announce itself. Keeper of Secrets reminds you that your intuition already holds the answer, but it requires stillness, trust, and discretion to hear it.

I’m in love with the images. Thank you @Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth

tracyS · December 31, 2025, 7:41am

Beautiful cards, absolutely beautiful. Will you do a paper set, I’d buy it, say sell it on Etsy. Well done you.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 2:39pm

Me too! They all are beautiful! I know the messages are simple, but I hope it helps open up dialogue within yourself. I love the spirituality and mysticism of oracle decks.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 2:45pm

Thank you, beautiful! I do plan on having a physical deck made for myself, but I hadn’t thought about selling. This project was just something that has sat in my heart for a while. I have always loved the fae and I just felt called to do it. Once I order my deck, I’ll let you know how much it cost and the specifics if you’d like to make one of your own. I’ll probably use MPC (MakePlayingCards.com) they seem to be the most affordable for my budget.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 2:57pm

I didn’t ask a specific question this morning just some clarification on a general reading on how I’m feeling today and my draw fits.

I pulled “Cradle of Light”, and she is one of my favorites!

Keywords: Protection, caregiving, emotional safety, tenderness, support

A nurturing presence surrounds you, or you are being asked to provide one. This card highlights emotional safety, protection, and loving support. Care given or received now strengthens bonds and restores a sense of belonging.

I really feel like my mom’s presence has been around lately. January is the month of her passing, and it will be 7 seven years since she moved on. I really missed her this past year especially with all that I went through medically. My heart tells me she knows that and that makes me feel safe.

kevin · December 31, 2025, 3:29pm

I pulled this beauty this morning…

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 3:48pm

43. Mistwalker — Mystery

Keywords: Veils, liminal spaces, subtle truths, inner knowing, the unseen, trusting intuition, between worlds, quiet revelations

Mist Walker appears when clarity is not meant to arrive all at once. This card invites you to move slowly, listen inwardly, and trust what you sense rather than what you can clearly see. Not all mysteries are meant to be solved immediately. Some are meant to be lived.

Faerie Lore: The Mist Walkers are said to dwell where the worlds thin, at dawn, at dusk, and in moments of deep uncertainty. Veiled in silver fog, they guide travelers who have stepped off the mapped paths and into questions without names. They do not give answers outright, instead they illuminate just enough ground for the next step. Will-o’ wisps gather around them like curious thoughts, flickering gently to remind mortals that mystery is no danger, but invitation. To meet a Mist Walker is to learn that not knowing is sometimes the most sacred form of wisdom.

tracyS · December 31, 2025, 3:57pm

Fabulous, look forward to the print. I thought I’d pull a card today.

Love this, very Nordic, very wintry and very one of my favourite runes.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 4:04pm

She is very beautiful in her stillness.

40. Frost Guardian — Stillness

Keywords: Stillness, Sacred Pause, Inner Quiet, Preservation, Calm Within the Storm, Winter Wisdom, Emotional Cooling, Patience, Clarity, Energetic Boundaries

This card invites you into deliberate stillness. Not stagnation, not avoidance, but a conscious pause where clarity crystallizes. The Frost Guardian appears when movement blurs truth and silence is the wiser magic. Hold steady. What needs to be preserved will reveal itself when you stop pressing forward.

Faerie Lore: In the oldest frost-glades, where breath becomes visible and sound softens into snow, the Frost Guardian keeps watch. She is said to arrive when the world grows too loud or the heart too hurried, freezing time just enough for the soul to catch up. Her wings are woven from winter’s first hush, and in her cupped hands she carries the still point of all storms. The fae whisper that those who meet her are not meant to act, but to listen. For in stillness, truths settle like snowflakes, and what is essential survives the cold.

dan3 · December 31, 2025, 5:01pm

I was intrigued by Oracle but the two decks I bought didn’t connect at all so I paused conspicuous purchasing of Oracle decks. I was delighted to find yours was working for me. I spent a couple of hours last night just browsing them on your link.

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · December 31, 2025, 5:31pm

It makes my heart happy that you enjoy them! That all I want is for people to find answers they may be searching for

georgia · January 1, 2026, 4:23am

Thank you @Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth. At the time of my post, I hadn’t had a chance to look through the guidebook. That’s why I promised to return for more. It was getting close to the time of a delivery, and I needed to be prepared to get busy at any second.

I second @tracyS in that I’d like to get a copy. The art is gorgeous.

This resonated, today. My driver called to get shopping done before the hectic payday of everybody in line at once on Friday. Intuition had helped save cash for this outing. I was weak, but we found a wheelchair at one store and was able to get everything but a calendar.

The magic included in today’s activities delt with realizing water weight gain over the illness was reducing enough that I’m swimming in my clothes! Yay!

Eira_of_the_Living_Hearth · January 1, 2026, 4:39pm

I’m so glad it did and that everything worked out in your favor, beautiful! I wish I had the means to produce decks and sell them on Etsy. I will let everyone know how much a deck would be to make once I have a chance to order one for myself.

I love that “swimming in my clothes” feeling!