I had intended to review each of the Seasons of the Witch decks as each Sabbat rolled around (Ostara was a miss due to it not being available yet) and during Beltaine I was in Victor Harbor at the SA Viking Festival so my mind wasn’t on the Sabbats as such. But we are in the season of Beltaine so it’s better late than never right? So let’s get into it….
The back of the box reads:
“Unlock your potential for grounding, creativity and abundance with the energy of Beltane. Also known as May Day, Beltane honours life and is a celebration of passion and putting your plans into action. The earth’s energies are at their strongest and most active and all of life is bursting with potent fertility. At this point in the Wheel of the Year your potential can be unleashed.
These cards align with your energy, helping you to unlock your inner wisdom with the help of powerful spiritual forces. Along with thoughtful meanings are invocations, or powerful word spells, to invoke the energy of each card and to send your intentions of spiritual well-being out into the universe”.
The Season of the Witch Beltane oracle is published by Rockpool Publishing and was created by Lorraine Anderson, Juliet Diaz and Giada Rose. It is the fairly standard hard box presentation with book and cards inside with the cards being edged with stylish gold gilt which compliments the Bee motif on the back of the cards. There are 44 cards in the deck measuring 12.8cm x 9cm with messages relating to Beltane, Spring and the Pagan themes that are usually associated with Beltane; be mindful that they are quite Northern Hemisphere directed so you may not resonate with all of the cards, especially the ones that have motifs not present in the Southern Hemisphere. The book is full colour, a touch that seems to be a Rockpool signature, and offers up a lot of information and ideas for using the deck with Beltane Themes and Focus, How to Use the Cards, Beltane Card spreads (8 in total) and the cards. One signature of this series is that the books contain a variety of magical workings that you can use in conjunction with the cards such as spells, rituals and recipes.
With all the technical need to know information out of the way, let’s get into the cards. I really like them, although to be fair I like all of the decks in this series. They’re light, playful, beautifully coloured and illustrated but they also carry weighty messages within them. What I have found with the decks is that the authors and illustrators have made the effort to make the cards apply to every day life which is really appreciated. Oftentimes decks can be beautifully crafted but they don’t always speak to you on a mundane level which is needed for every day advice. The deck feels bursting with Spring, with sunshine and with a lovely thick honey feel, as thought the lazy days of Spring are making way to warmer weather, when the season is turning from the earnest budding of Ostara to the full blooded life that is Beltane. Cards such as Bee, Fertilising and Green Man speak to the season of Beltane, of the life that is in full swing; cards such as Bonfire, Love Spell and Manifestation speak of the magic that can be worked during the season to start new growth in your life.
Some of the cards have really wonderful meanings to help guide you during the season of Beltane:
Card 1: “Bee” – “Don’t drink all of life from one flower for there are many more to taste and many to explore”
Card 12: “Flower Crown” – “Wear your power proudly and unapologetically for it is your birthright and is eternal like the soul”
Card 27: “Oak” – “Don’t just look within, dive deeply into the eternal realms of knowing”
Card 36 “Sacrifice” – “ You must find the ebb and flow of life within your very self. Embracing it all is embracing truth”
Overall this deck really encapsulates the themes of Beltane and gives you plenty to work with. As with the Imbolc deck, this one is peppered with visualisations, charms and ideas for your Sabbat celebrations. I would recommend reading with it for the entirety of the Sabbat season, the whole 7/8 week cycle ahead before the Summer Solstice to see what is coming up for you. It is a short time but aligns with the premise of the deck and gives a more focused reading instead of using it for a longer term outlook. If you enjoy celebrating the Sabbats and want to add an extra dimension to your activities I would absolutely recommend getting this deck to use during your Sabbat workings.
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