Magical Times Empowerment Cards - watercolours with fairies, dragons and unicorns
This is not a subtle deck. Jody Bergsma paints dragons with shimmering wings, unicorns in moonlight, fairies among flowers. The images are fantastical in every sense, and the messages are focused on affirmation. Each card image comes with a short text about strength, gratitude, abundance or inner balance.
The deck contains 44 cards, all larger than standard oracle cards (approximately 89 x 114 mm). The guidebook has 28 pages and gives a more detailed interpretation for each card, without going deeply philosophical.
What you see on the cards
Bergsma works in watercolour. The colours flow softly into one another, often in shades of blue, purple, green and gold. There is a lot of light in the images, even when the subject is dark. Her style is decorative and detailed, with attention to texture in feathers, scales, fur and petals.
The symbolism does not come from a fixed system like tarot. Instead she combines familiar fantasy figures with more abstract images such as spirals, stars and geometric patterns. The overall feel is more fairytale than esoteric.
How the deck works
The cards are designed to inspire. They do not warn, ask difficult questions or challenge you. They affirm. That makes the deck suitable as a daily draw, as a meditation aid or as a visual reminder of something you want to work on.
The texts on the cards are short and direct. In the guidebook each image is described at length, with an emphasis on what it can mean for personal growth. There are no spreads in the booklet.
Draw a card and look only at the image first. Place the card somewhere you will see it all day. Read the text only in the evening.
About Jody Bergsma
Jody Bergsma is an American artist who has been making watercolours with fantasy themes for decades. Her work is widely used on cards, prints and calendars. She also illustrated The Spirit of the Wheel Meditation Deck, another oracle deck from U.S. Games Systems.
Her style is recognisable: lots of gloss, lots of detail, lots of soft colour transitions. She works with natural and mythical motifs and combines them with geometric shapes meant to radiate harmony.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 44
- Card size: 88.9 x 114.3 mm (over-sized)
- Guidebook: 28 pages
- Language: English
- Illustrations: Watercolours by Jody Bergsma
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- ISBN: 9781572817234
Questions we often get
Are the cards suitable for someone who has never worked with an oracle deck before?
Yes. The images are directly understandable, the texts are clear and the guidebook gives a concrete explanation for each card. You do not need prior knowledge.
Does the guidebook include spreads?
No. The guidebook only describes the cards themselves. How you lay them out is up to you or can be found elsewhere.
