About

ABOUT

The Alchemical Oracle uses the seven stages of traditional Alchemy and certain associated celestial bodies as a launching point, incorporating the seven major chakra energy centers that also correlate. What is totally new and original about this system is the use of universal symbols as Icons that represent aspects of the energy/influence of these stages in both the balanced (Light) and unbalanced (Shadow) ways they show up in attitude, behavior, life events, and relationships.  
Get started doing readings right away ~ No prior experience needed
The meanings for each card are written on both sides of the card itself
If already familiar with Alchemy or the Tarot, this system will deepen your understanding of those concepts.

How To Use

The Instructions Guide provides all the information needed to learn:
  • The Stages of Alchemy and their meanings
  • The Planetary associations to each Alchemy Stage and their qualities
  • The Chakra Energy System and the related metaphysical properties of each
  • The Major Arcana of the Tarot how they relate to the Alchemical Oracle Cards
  • Interpretations of all symbols and Icons used, enhanced by cultural and historical examples of their use  
Reading with the Alchemical Oracle requires:
  • Alchemical Oracle Card Deck
  • Standard Token Set or Upgraded Glass Gem Token Set
  • Universe of Alchemy Board or Mat
Overview of a Reading with the Alchemical Oracle:
  1. The Tokens are spread out on a flat surface with the symbol side down so they can't be seen.
  2. One Token of each color is chosen: Black, White, and Gold, then the rest of the Tokens are put aside.
  3. The three chosen Tokens are placed on the Universe of Alchemy according to their symbols.
  4. The three correlating cards from the Deck are pulled and both sides are read and reflected upon.
  5. If needed, additional information and further interpretations can be found in the Instruction Guide.

(See INSTRUCTIONS page for more detailed steps)

Levels of Complexity

From the first use, this system offers meaningful thoughts and questions for contemplation. However, the cards in the Alchemical Oracle are designed to be used over and over again, and to grow in meaning over time, as the reader learns more of the layers of symbolism that are represented, and deepens their awareness of the alchemical process and the other concepts woven into this system. Because of the multi-dimensional nature of its design, not every word on each card in a reading will apply at that given moment, but a majority of the content will be relevant and insightful.

Our minds learn things not all at once, but more like layers of paint, with patches that require going over again, so new revelations will develop over time, with use, and the cards will start to feel like familiar friends.  Be patient with yourself as you learn, and make sure to read through the Instructions a little at a time, so you can better integrate the information.

Tarot Major Arcana

For those unfamiliar with the Tarot, a traditional deck has 4 suits, called Minor Arcana, plus a set of 22 cards called Major Arcana, or sometimes referred to as Trump Cards. These cards represent archetypal forces or characters, and tell a story throughout the entire 22-card cycle when put in order.

Already knowledgeable in the archetypes of the Tarot, I was interested in finding a way to include the 22 Major Arcana in the Alchemical Oracle, as long as they blended seamlessly, without forcing it to “work.” The successful end result is a system of 22 cards, each one matching up with a Major Arcana of the Tarot without being solely dependent on that to define them, with many other layers of meaning contained within.  

Origins

Over the last two years, I have been developing the Alchemical Oracle - creating the artwork, text interpretations, overall method of divination, and instructions. Its origins are in over 30 years of reading and studying the Tarot (various decks) and 25 years of experiential personal work around sacred fire circles at events around the country.
 
Some of these fire circles, developed by my friends Jeff McBride and Abigail Spinner McBride, have used Alchemical symbolism and language to frame the experience of self awareness and transformation that often happens over the course of one or several nights of conscious, intentional, all-night sacred fire circles. Ancient alchemists studied turning lead into gold, but today that process can be understood as a metaphor for personal transformation, and drumming around a fire from dark (lead) until dawn (gold) is a powerful way to embody that journey and emerge feeling transmuted from the inside out.
 
Inspired by the themes of Alchemy, I came up with this system of divination and self-reflection that drew upon many other areas of my education and interest: Jungian archetypes and psychology; mythology and spiritual figures from multiple cultures and origins; chakras, energy work and metaphysics; the Tarot and its Major Arcana; and other concepts of symbolic language and metaphoric cycles such as the Hero’s Journey as described by Joseph Campbell, the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna, and the death/rebirth myth of the Phoenix.

As I developed the Alchemical Oracle over the last year, it definitely expanded my understanding of the way Alchemy can be a useful lens to look through and learn from. I look forward to sharing that with others, and learning from what gets discovered from this point forward.

Morganne Baum

About the Author / Artist

Morganne Baum, creator of the Alchemical Oracle, has been reading Tarot for almost 30 years, and also has a love for myths, spiritual folklore, mysticism, archetypes, and...Alchemy, of course.
 
She has a Master's Degree in Social Work, undergraduate degrees in both Psychology and Classical Mythology, and is a self-taught graphic artist. She has an endless curiosity about myths from various cultures around the world, both old and new, as well as a deep sense of the mystery in the world all around us.

Another way she has explored the Tarot is to compose music for each of the Major Arcana - you can listen to her original piano music at www.sacredhands.org.
Share by: