"Seasons Of The Witch - Mabon Oracle" deck review
Last Updated: July 25, 2023
The “Seasons of the Witch – Mabon” oracle deck is released in June 2023 in the UK.
Created by Spirit Element’s Lorraine Anderson and Spirit Bound Press’s Juliet Diaz, this 44-card deck is such a welcome dose of autumnal graciousness. Each card image by artist Tijana Lukovic has been intently designed to evoke a warm gratitude towards abundance, whether in ourselves, our lives or our spirituality. It’s honestly a gorgeous combination of personal cultural appreciation and ancestral honoring, as well as respecting the ever-turning wheel of nature’s cycles that cause own our bodies to sync up with the atmosphere at the point of change.
It is both Juliet & Lorraine’s hope that this deck doesn’t seem too pagan-specific (unlike the others: Beltane, Samhain and Yule) but want to aid bringing in new traditions, new paths and new ways to enjoy the energy not just of a season, but of nature and life itself. The purpose of this deck would be to embrace the themes of balance, harmony and equality that this Autumnal Equinox brings to mind whilst also practising a gratitude towards ourselves, our communities and our crafts.
Through these themes alone, we can then digress from the specifics of Mabon as a festival, and create a Mabon-themed (Mabon-esque?) daily practice in our lives to support us spiritually.
What's In The Box?
- Guidebook: Yes, over 150 pages including card spreads, how to use the cards, and what each card provides not only in message but in reflective questions that aid with personal connection. The Guidebook has a QR code to bonus additional content too! (I won’t spoil the lovely surprise of what it is though!)
- Artwork: Autumnal-toned images routed in nature by Tijana Lukovic who you can connect with here; think warm oranges, gentle browns, eclipse yellows, striking blacks and copper foil.
- Total Cards: 44 cards
- Inclusivity: The artwork is inclusive of POC and of multiple genders, as well as when we go down the route of avoiding private closed practices (such as in the case of the Witch’s Rosary Manifesting Chant)
- Environmental Impact: TBC; Printed & Bound in China. (No charitable mentions) HOWEVER the deck does come with a free digital app, to encourage further practice, as well as additional bonus content which is digital too – minimizing the need for paper, card and further carbon footprint impact
Unique Deck Points: The name gives it away – it’s specific to Mabon, to Autumnal Equinox, to the Harvest, to Gratitude, to honoring those who got us this far and those who paved the way for us. It is great for those who can’t access festivals in the traditional sense, and it encourages a daily practice of honoring self and nature. If you’re looking for an oracle deck that takes you deeper into the practices and rituals surrounding Mabon and the Autumnal Equinox, then this is definitely one to invest in!
Downside of the Deck
I think setting up the deck to be “less pagan” doesn’t make it less pagan, in this case, as I still found all the same correspondences. Even the “Haunted House” speaks to miasma and intuition sharing with you that something is off – energetic cleansings and release rituals for healing. “Mountain Cabin” too is Hermit tarot card energy, where a respite and some solitude is beneficial spiritually for moving forward with the seasonal changes.
On a personal note too, I am disappointed that personal experiences or stories relating to this witch’s holiday (season, astronomical timing, etc) hasn’t been shared by the creators – and they owe us nothing, as their words and art are definitely enough, but if you are sharing tips and guidance for something as niche and specific as a witch’s holiday – what does this holiday look like specifically for them? What is the relation of Mabon to them other than a witch’s holiday? What personal stories, or witchy anecdotes, can the creators share on an intimate level that doesn’t make them feel like they are pushing boundaries that they want the customer/readers to set for themselves individually?
An example of what I mean is like how for Mabon, I’ll pull my own cards (naturally) but I’ll get together with my friends or family, or do a big gratitude dinner, treating it like a ceremony of appreciation – this makes it a great tipping point for letting go of the summer and spring cycle, and set me up for my autumnal and winter goals. So there is space in the deck to not only have the creators share what this could look like for them, but also encourage the reader to note, to participate and to add to the process themselves of what they want for Mabon, and for what they want to acknowledge has finished too. This could be “note” pages in the guidebook, or a downloadable workbook as part of their additional content, etc.
This deck and guidebook literally has most things in it already so I’m being extremely picky here, but when you have exciting authors like Lorraine and Juliet who show us that we can do thins a different way, you’re gonna wanna know what they’ve been doing.
My Favourite Card
I spent some time with each card, looking at the different symbols, the characters faces, and what was happening in each scene. This is something I highly advise you do too, as it’s just a really nice way to slow down and connect with these cards. When flicking through the guidebook I came across “Scarecrow” a couple of times, and then when I accidentally pulled it, I knew the meaning was for me.
The card has images of sunflowers starting to wilt, of darker skies, and grass that has started to lose chlorophyll – there’s definite change, but there are three scarecrows as guardians. Three is such a magickal number anyway, but this card speaks to receiving some good support, and (as a witchy mama of two, running a full-time business in part-time hours) that is always welcome.
Why I Love This Deck
I love it when a deck has layers, and this one has it in spades. This deck is thought-provoking, it’s total homage to the seasonal change specific to autumn, and it has lovely tips for building intuition. But it’s also got recipes, affirmations, prompts, activity ideas and spells. There are more card spreads than the average oracle deck, and with all the free digital content (again, minimizing carbon footprint) this is an amazing edition to already incredible series.
I feel that those who would love this deck are the Basic Witches™; the ones like me who crack out the check shirts and jumpers on August 1st, plan pumpkin patch trips for the family, love to toast marshmallows to make smores on stargazing nights, and are the first to buy the PSL specials in all of the cafes nearby or pick-your-own-apple & mulled cider tours. I also feel that those who work with ancestry, who work with the land, and who work with hedge witchery would benefit from this deck most of all – it has a lot of encouragement to see you through the nights that get darker, before we get to Samhain. Overall it’s a beautiful collection of autumnal tidings, witchy messages, and seasonal magic. I’m so happy to have this deck right now – it feels like the perfect way to greet Mabon 2023.
If you’re interested in learning more about the “Seasons Of The Witch – Mabon Oracle” 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
I have been passionate about reading divination for more than 15 years. This gives me a unique perspective when it comes to creating fun, supportive and creative tarot spreads. I hope they help you find the clarity and insight you are looking for.
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