"Deadly Apothecary" Oracle Deck Review

The “Deadly Apothecary” oracle deck is by Priestess Moon and available everywhere. 36 cards depicting plants as Priestesses of Poisons, a feminine embodiment for causes and solutions, poisons and antidotes to life’s scenarios that have us turning to nature when we want to connect, acknowledging the dark spaces to find our light.

• Guidebook: Under 100 pages including tips, card spreads and great bibliography and acknowledgements.
• Artwork: By Priestess Moon who you can see their work over on Instagram
• Inclusivity: Whilst strictly about Priestesses in their poisonous garb, Priestess Moon has made a conscious effort to suggest folks of colour.
• Environmental Impact: TBC; Printed & Bound in China. (No charitable mentions) HOWEVER the deck comes with a free downloadable app for additional content.

Unique Deck Points

One of the unique aspects of the “Deadly Apothecary” oracle deck is that it delves into the world of poisonous plants, something often considered taboo or dark in nature. But in reality, these plants have been used for centuries in herbalism and medicine, showcasing their powerful effects on both our physical and mental wellbeing. There are tons of poisonous plants in here that even I was not aware of. Nature is crazy sometimes, and so is life, so it’s amazing to see such a variety with different correspondences, colours, attributes etc. I loved learning about the traditional/medicinal uses, as this is useful to my personal witchcraft practice outside of the deck and understanding its meanings. There’s not really any reversal meanings here, but simply each Priestess guides in the Poison of the plant and it’s antidote.

The artwork is striking and unusual… good. That helps jar in the meanings a little, I feel. And I love the lack of judgement for personal behaviour too. We all do stupid stuff, regularly if you’re like me too, and instead of belittling when calling out this behaviour the cards provide some solution for details and inspiration to turn things around.

The Downside of the Deck

It would have been great to see “Energy uses” as a spell idea, ritual idea or meditation to connect idea. Like knowing a plant is “creeping and blistering” is fine – so what can I do with it? For someone completely new to herbalism, should they incorporate that energy in journaling versus actually handling it for spell jars or poppets? (We’re pro-hex, pro-sex and pro-weed here at BB.)

Another thing about the “antidote” aspect of each card is a lot of the cards relate to “imagine” or “remember”. Practical advice isn’t gifted here, when things like Narcissus or Nettle can relate to crafting real boundaries for yourself, or get outside in nature and find that first light like Snowdrop, for example.

My Favourite Card

For me it’s a cross between Thornapple and Stinging Nettle. Stinging Nettle has a lot to teach us about restriction, about how hard we can push ourselves, and sometimes this warrior approach to dieting can be a hindrance than a help. Thornapple is encouraging for witches to lean into their peacock, versus hiding amongst the flock. Witches aren’t to be hidden, and joy obtained through tangible endeavours isn’t meant to be controlled.

Why I Love This Deck

I really enjoyed learning about different poisonous plants, their uses and meanings in this oracle deck. It’s a unique twist on traditional oracle decks that often focus on more general themes or elements. The artwork is really fun and the guidebook is concise yet informative. I think “Deadly Apothecary” offers a refreshing perspective on self-discovery and growth, using the natural world as a guide. It’s definitely a deck that will have you reflecting on your own actions and choices while also providing insight and guidance. Plus, who doesn’t love a little dark magick?

I feel that those who would love this deck are those who work with darker deities or want to tap into their dark feminine, as well as those that are interested in herbalism and plant magick. It’s definitely a unique addition to any oracle deck collection and I do recommend giving it a try!

If you’re interested in learning more about the “Deadly Apothecary” deck, you can do so here. Any click-throughs may lead to the affiliate programme awarding us compensation which helps compensate the writers on the website, pays towards the web hosting and all the other boring behind-the-scenes bits.

Thank you for reading my super honest review! Until next time xox