I’ve been really drawn to the Oak, Ash & Thorn deck lately and wondering if anyone else has worked with it.
The artwork feels so connected to nature’s cycles, and I’m finding that the tree archetypes add something special to my readings that I wasn’t expecting. The whole deck has this earthy quality that just resonates differently than my other decks. Has anyone else noticed how the oak, ash, and thorn energies seem to match up with certain themes in the major arcana? Like oak with strength, ash with flexibility, and thorn with protection? Or am I seeing patterns that aren’t really there?
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So disclaimer this is just my opinion. Yours might differ.
I think Oak, Ash & Thorn is incredibly overpriced for some mid-tier artwork Tarot cards. There’s nothing new to it and the artwork makes it incredibly hard to get a good reading.
I disagree with a lot of the imagery of the cards. I don’t think any thought went into it and even the text is hard to read. It might be one of the worst decks I’ve ever used.
I have to agree.. I really wanted to like this deck, but I just don’t see it. There are other nature element decks that make a lot more sense and (in my opinion as well) look a lot nicer. I wouldn’t even display this one with my collection.
I’ve been working with this deck too and yes, those tree correspondences are definitely there!
When I pull cards with oak imagery, they speak to endurance and deep-rooted strength. The ash cards bend without breaking - they show me paths through challenges rather than around them. The thorn energy tends to show up as boundary-setting in my readings, like nature’s way of saying protect what matters.
The seasonal shifts in the artwork really mirror what’s happening in my readings. Sometimes it feels like the trees are doing the teaching, not just the cards themselves.
I used to struggle with reversed meanings in RWS decks, but with this one they just make sense somehow. Other than that I don’t really like the artwork but that’s just personal.
I waited forever to get OAT. When Smoke, Ash & Embers came out with those dragon designs, my wallet opened itself - the deck was calling to me, obviously.
The dragon sister deck made me notice more about the trees in OAT. The earthy grounded energy versus the fiery transformation thing - they complement each other well. I justified buying both by calling it ‘research into complementary archetypal systems’ when really I just can’t resist nice tarot art.
Both decks together do show how oak/ash/thorn energies provide grounding for elemental work.
I got this deck as well. Matt Oehlers did some beautiful work on the art, every card feels meaningful. Straightforward imagery which I guess isn’t for everyone but I like it.
Makes it good for yes/no readings, which I do a lot even though some readers avoid them. The symbolism is clear so you can get useful insights even from basic questions. It’s nice having a deck that’s both pretty to look at and practical to use.
Love this deck, the artwork is beautiful. I’m still figuring out how to read with it. Some cards click right away but others are harder to interpret. Anyone else find that with this deck?
Been reading cards for over 20 years now. The Oak, Ash & Thorn deck is interesting, beginners usually love the striking artwork and clear symbols. For those of us who’ve been doing this a while, you start picking up on smaller details and meanings you missed before. Kind of grows with you as you get more experienced with it.
Whoa, this is very overpriced for a pretty plain-looking Tarot deck. I don’t get it. We have so many popular decks like these and then we have decks like.. this? I don’t get it.
Anyone use this deck with runes or ogham staves? Been experimenting with pulling The Hermit alongside its tree ogham. The combinations tell some interesting stories.
The Oak, Ash & Thorn deck changes with the seasons just like the Sun moves through the zodiac. Spring/Aries brings more energetic readings with lots of potential showing up in the cards. Winter/Capricorn season? Everything gets quieter and more introspective. Mercury aspects affect how clear the readings come through. I have strong Earth placements so the deck responds better during Earth sign seasons.
I started putting oak leaves and ash twigs around my cards when using that deck. Just feels right having the actual trees there while you’re working with their meanings.
Tree-based symbolism speaks a… different language than traditional tarot. When cards resist immediate interpretation, try sitting with the tree energy first. Ask yourself: what would an oak say here? How would ash respond? What boundaries would thorn set? The ‘difficult’ cards might be saying to slow down and listen differently.
My cat has this thing where she knows when I’m getting out my Oak, Ash & Thorn deck. She starts chirping and parks herself right next to it. I think it’s the wood energy or something.
I think the thorn cards are about boundaries and saying no. I pulled the five of thorns yesterday, asking about a work situation, and it basically told me to stop being everyone’s emotional support coworker. The deck can be pretty direct when it needs to be.
It’s not the best deck, not my faavorite but it isn’t bad.
Those decks look gorgeous. RIP my wallet, haven’t even clicked add to cart yet. You’d think someone who reads tarot could predict their own impulse buys, but nope.
So I backed this tarot kickstarter and the creator had to contact me a few times about my order. Super patient person. Following the campaign was fun, lots of updates with behind-the-scenes stuff from printing and card art. I splurged on the oversized Major Arcana prints. Planning to hang them in what I call my ‘reading room’ (aka the bright corner of my bedroom, lol). Would I back them again? Yeah, for sure. They put a lot of thought into the cards and even the packaging. You could tell they know what tarot readers want in a deck.
