I can’t pinpoint exactly when my love for tarot/oracle decks began. I know when I started joining women’s circles, and I started seeing decks more regularly that, I was drawn to them. They seemed to hold mystery and intrigued me, big time!
But I can’t help but wonder about a deck that I have had in my possession since I was a young girl. I have no idea how I came to own this deck, and I can’t recall when or where I got it. But I did bring it with me from Canada when I moved to Santa Barbara back in 2004, so I have innately known that it held some sort of significance for me.
Fast forward nearly 20 years, and this is where I started to make little notes and jot down words in the note section of my phone. One of the first notes I made was “tender touch,” which became card number 41. Other notes I made didn’t make the final cut; maybe they will be inspiration for another deck. I gathered words and ideas as I moved through my days. Sometimes, I had a lot of ideas, and sometimes, nothing worth noting.
I know this happens to a lot of creators; inspiration seems to arise out of the ether. I would begin to write the card’s meaning and prompts for the guidebook, and it was like the information flowed through me rather than out of me (if that makes sense).
It’s interesting the word inspire means “fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative,” and this feels true. I felt filled with the urge to translate the messages I was receiving into the form of the cards and the guidebook.
As a master-prepared nurse with over 20 years of experience, I deeply understand the role of the caregiver. I have worked in a variety of caregiving roles, both professionally and personally, including surgical trauma, nursing education, school nursing, and her role as mother, wife, friend, and community member. I have experienced deep grief following the unexpected passing of my older brother. It was this event coupled with my nursing experience, that inspired me to create a tool to help those who care for others to better care for themselves. I know that only when we commit to tending to our own essential needs we can continue to give to others without experiencing resentment, fatigue, and burnout.
It is from this desire to be of service that I created the Caregiver Oracle.
The deck will be available for purchase mid March 2024. My dream is that the deck finds its way into the hands of caregivers around the world so they can better tend to their own needs and continue to shine their bright light in the world.
Have a magical day
Love Jen aka DownHome Mystic
