Angels & Ancestors Oracle cards

[FairyCrystal]

It does indeed take some getting used to, reading the LWB.
What I tend to do is use a new deck regularly, and with each new card I draw read the whole lot. So I will get to read the info & wisdom for each card at least once. I get a pencil and ruler out and I underline the things that I feel are the core message. Sometimes these are several thingies. But it does help me to find the important stuff faster when doing a reading without having to skim the entire text.
For the "Goddesses & Sirens" deck I did that too, and since those texts are very cryptic -the legends mostly- I really intuited each card to derive what that cryptic description would boil down to as personality traits & qualities. I wrote that down with pencil as well.
I did the same for the "Gods & Titans" deck. THese 2 decks come with so much info, impossible to remember it all, esp since it's cryptic and needs to be converted to concrete things you can use in a reading.
This means what I got out of it is very personal I guess.

I started using this method a few months ago as I got so many new decks in. It's impossible to remember everything, and each & every card.
Also because sometimes the -to me- most important message is in the general info, other times in the extended message. I don't have the time when recording a reading to skim through it all. Too much work and way too tiring.

The Angels & Ancestors is set up quite easily: The 'normal' people, the "Angels & Guardians", the "warrior signs" and the "seasons".
This is the order of the book, how the cards are sorted. Each section from A-Z. I like it, cos now it's clear right away whether a card is an Angel/guardian card or a 'normal' card or a 'Warrior sign", seasons are pretty clear of course.

I've drawn the Trader a number of times too. I love the card, he looks so real!
I started drawing cards from this deck to get answers to what my Soul's essence is and my Soul energy.
I kept drawing the She-Wolf and Oracle.
The message from the White Witch that stands out to me is that she has a lot of wisdom, but also respects and acknowledges others' wisdom, without it taking away from her own inner guidance. Something like that. THat has to do with the antlered owl.
Love that message as it is true wisdom if you can do that, means you are not so ego-driven anymore, more in a state of unconditional love. Not taking it personally, also not easily swayed.

[Pandora.]

Some great advice thanks FairyCrystal. I don't have the patience to read the whole lot every time I draw a card though. I also find the Oracle decks more difficult (personally) to initially use my intuition, as opposed to Tarot decks. I'm now finding I don't need to turn to the book with new Tarot decks, mainly because I know the core meanings and let the pictures do the rest I guess. But I do find Oracle decks more of a challenge. There just doesn't seem to be as much symbolism and environment to pick up from.

So far I've received Trader a couple of times, as well as Hunter, which is helpful because the second time is a bit easier than the first, with a bit more understanding and the relevance is there. However, I received Drum as advice for one question and it really didn't make any sense whatsoever.

[FairyCrystal]

Not sure what your question is, if you want I can feel if I can make sense of it?
Maybe the part where it speaks of 'the drumbeat can be hypnotic' is the answer.
Being a sound healer and having a shamanic drum myself, I know that playing a drum -and listening to it- can help quite the mind, calm you down, and drumming is also very grounding, earthy energy.
From this quiet mindset you can get more clarity about something, it also allows your intuition and potential answers to come to the surface as the mental mind clutter is gone.

A shamanic drum can go deep, it can connect you to your Soul, your Soul calling and Soul path.

I've also noticed with sound healings most people really enjoy the drum, tend to really calm down, drift off a bit. But there's a few who get restless because of it. Maybe because it allows for things to come to the surface as the mind is quiet and they aren't ready for that.

In that last part may be another indicator/answer: resistance to go deeper, resisting a process, not wanting to face something because you fear it for whatever reason.
The message then would still be to allow it, to trust. Trust comes up very strong. Trust your soul, yourself, your process.
(I'm going to write that down!!! LOL. I'm also still learning the deck, have not had each & every card yet either :) )

Maybe this helps?

[Pandora.]

Thanks enormously! For the full reading, the question was regarding a difficult domestic situation with my son and his girlfriend which is having an effect on me and deciding a future path.

Strength and gifts I have - Mother Earth.
What my heart wants me to know about situation - White Witch
Challenge that I need to work on in order to grow - Drum.

The corresponding Celtic Tarot card for Drum was 2 of Swords reversed. Still can't get my head around it to be honest!

I didn't find the spread all that useful, especially with Drum as the challenge. Though I may be too confined in my thinking from working with Tarot.

I actually love drum beats. I've always had it in my head that I'd like to buy a cheap drum kit and learn to play, if I manage to get in the position of being in a rural living situation. I didn't realise you could buy a shamanic drum.

[Pandora.]

I forgot to mention. I realise the order of the deck, but feel that if they were numbered, it would be a lot easier and quicker to find the relevant cards. Just a personal peeve. The more I use them, the more I'm sure I'll find them, but at the moment, I find it quite irritating, lol.

I can't find your youtube channel. Can you put the link in for me?

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by Pandora.

I forgot to mention. I realise the order of the deck, but feel that if they were numbered, it would be a lot easier and quicker to find the relevant cards. Just a personal peeve. The more I use them, the more I'm sure I'll find them, but at the moment, I find it quite irritating, lol.

I can't find your youtube channel. Can you put the link in for me?

Yes, that's https://www.youtube.com/sparklingdiva1111

If you like them numbered, why not do it yourself? Buy a gold texter, might look real good on the cards if you can pull it off to do the numbers subtly :)

I'll look into the cards tomorrow, too late now, middle of the night.

[Pandora.]

Thanks Fairycrystal. Only if you've got time and feel inclined. Certainly don't expect you to go through the whole reading - just thought more info may give more insight that I'm not seeing.

Found your channel again and have subscribed so I won't lose it again. It's very good! I have to ask - which deck is the "4 of Keys Clearing the Way?" I'm sure I've got this deck and have drawn this card before. Unfortunately my collection is in a shipping container until I find permanent residence. I've only got a few physically with me that I tend to use. Really annoying. I would like to be able to go through my decks and swap and change here and there. Doh!

Hmmm ... I don't think I could bring myself to mark the cards. They are too amazing for me to spoil. I love the card stock - it's so thick and endurable. I'm sure I'll get more used to where they are, the more familiar I get with the deck.

Thanks again. And please don't put yourself out by spending a lot of time on looking at my reading. As I said, thought you may get an "aha" moment which I'm not getting from a bit more info on what was drawn.

[FairyCrystal]

What I got and get from it...
You are quite involved in the situation emotionally. Possibly feel overwhelmed by it or busy with it a lot. No matter what, it has you out of whack. It is good to be loving and caring personality, but you need boundaries in place to protect yourself, also to stop yourself from going over them yourself.
It's okay to have your own views and opinions on the matter, you don't have to agree per say, sometimes it isn't possible and you have to agree to disagree. Allow him/them to have their version of the truth without it affecting yours.
In other words this could come down to: withdraw more emotionally, don't try to convince them of anything, don't let yourself be swayed either. Don't make it (so) personal. Don't take it (so) personal.
So pull back a little bit from the situation (emotionally) so you can see more clearly, and then you'll be more stable too.
Don't busy yourself with it too much, find relief from it, I feel the drum is about that as well, as listening to the drum can calm the mind, shift your focus, allowing you to let go at least for a bit.
Also I feel it is saying to follow the beating of your own drum, in that sense again not getting swayed by others. (while remaining respectful of others' point of view.)

In a way it's about finding the middle ground, which you can only do if you pull back (emotionally), somehow I really feel you're too involved.
That gets you out of whack, and with that from your grounding.
Yes, grounding would help too.

Drumming is nice, why not look into a small electric kit? THese days they sound really good and neighbours won't hear a thing. You wear headphones, so you do.

Shaman drums... I think maybe you can buy them, usually you make them yourself as it is a process, a journey. Connecting to your drum, to the skin, the animal that gave its hide for that, blessings and rituals involved and so on.
If you buy one you will miss out on that energy part which especially for a shaman drum is very important. It's not like a guitar, it's more of a Sacred instrument, an extension of your Soul. You cannot get that if it's made by someone else (unless they focus on you when they do so) or possibly machine made.
Even choosing the hide / skin is a process. Do you want deer, bear, cow, horse, and so on. They all hold different medicine.
Do you want it shaved or not? Etc. etc.
If you ever want to buy one, get one from someone who is like a shaman so they put Soul in the drum!

[Pandora.]

Wow, thanks FairyCrystal. I seriously didn't expect so much insight. It all makes good sense, and now the Drum rings a bell (hahahaha!). You know what I mean, I can now relate to the reading better.

The info about the drums makes good sense too. Perhaps an electric set would suffice for present purposes. Soul in the drum ... now I understand a lot better.

Thanks again, many blessings.

[FairyCrystal]

You're welcome, glad it makes more sense now.
And the shaman drum, yes, they have soul, they are a very personal spiritual item. Most people who have one don't even like it when others touch it without asking. It is almost like touching you yourself.
I'm like that too, I don't like it as it is such a personal instrument. When I had finished making mine I got a name from her too. She's feminine :)
The fact that it is a sacred instrument, having a soul, is also the reason why it can do so much with a sound healing.

Kyle is also a shaman, very spiritual, and this deck is really a good reflection of that. More so than the Keepers of the Light deck. That was more superficial. Doreen Virtue had similar decks. But the Angels & Ancestors is different.
But of course this is personal, everyone can feel different about it :)
You liked it a lot, so I'm guessing you'll get the hang of it too!

As for an electric drum kit... I'd get myself one if it wasn't for the fact that I have an acoustic one already. Difficult to sell as these days many sell those to go to electric.
When those first came out they sounded horrible, but technology improves and the newer ones really sound like an acoustic kit! And they're not even all that expensive per say. Possibly less than an acoustic kit even as a good acoustic one with good skins and especially great sounding cymbals costs a bomb! The price of one top quality cymbal can buy you a quite good electric kit, haha.