Phases & Forests Oracle - Review

Over the weekend I received my copy of the Phases & Forests Oracle by Kat Ryalls (@kat_ryalls on Instagram) and it is stunning! I was drawn to the Kickstarter campaign by Kat’s artwork – I love how layered and symbolic it is, with lots of beautiful details to look at and pull out. It has a fluid quality, with all the various elements weaving and blending in and out of each other. Other things I especially enjoy are the brick red deck edges (they remind me of red clay/dirt), the design of the box, and the little wooden token that came with the set.

What I like most about these cards is that they present their themes in the form of a question. The last few days I’ve been pulling a card as a prompt for journaling or to pull other oracle/tarot cards in response. I feel that this pushes me to be a little more introspective and sit longer with the cards and my thoughts. I have a few oracle decks that are super vague or not intuitive at all, but this one feels very natural to work with, and a good way to initiate a conversation with yourself if you aren’t sure what to ask or reflect on.

The other part of this deck that I love are the moon phase cards. Working with the moon was how I first reconnected with my spiritual practice after years of hiatus, and I’ve been recently revisiting the importance and impact of the lunar cycle in my life and work, so this deck came at a perfect time. The moon cards give a suggested action represented by that specific phase, which I find very helpful.

If you love nature, the seasons, cycles, and dynamic, detailed artwork this would be a great deck to work with!