Oracle's Card of the Month: November '23

For November I pulled the Rose card from the For Strange Women Oracle deck. A card of romance and relationship. Roses have been associated with love since ancient Greece. The red rose is sacred to Aphrodite. It was said that all roses used to be white until Aphrodite cut her ankle on a rose thorn while running to save her lover, Adonis. Her blood stained the roses she ran past red thus connecting them to her and passion.

The Romans considered roses to be symbolic of romance, secrecy, and luxury. Roses were put in the bedroom and petals were thrown at celebrations. Even today roses continue to be an icon of romance and are given as a token of affection.

As the winter approaches it may be a good time to call in some romance. Fill your space with warmth and glamour. Light candles, burn a sensual incense, drape luxurious furs over your furniture, display flowers and art. Romance isn’t only for lovers.

Pink Amethyst is a rare form of Amethyst found in Patagonia. It is said to bring emotional balance and overall peace through calm, understanding, and grace. Crystal towers with sparkling caverns and soothing hues make for a simple romantic touch to any table or shelf.

Ethically/sustainably-sourced furs add a luxurious and tactile element to your environment. Persian Lamb, Rabbit, or Muskrat pelts look lovely as a surface covering on tabletops.

In the Oracle studio we love highlighting the beauty of nature in our art. One particularly romantic piece is our framed snake and florals assemblage. Some traditions associate serpents with desire. This taxidermy snake is nestled in a cushion of lush green foliage and soft pink flowers.

Things made by hand have an intrinsic romance to them. November 25th is Small-Business Saturday… and we’re hosting a slow craft pop-up! Please Send Word will be in the shop with their handmade goods.

November marks Oracle’s 10-year anniversary! We’re celebrating this month by featuring the individual work of our 3-person team. It’s a Pop-Us (get it? Instead of pop-up it’s a pop-US). Art by shop owner and lead taxidermist Alessandra Dzuba, assistant taxidermist and lead illustrator Melissa Chepren, and me… studio manager and lead writer Laura Pensar. Drop in and help us celebrate a decade of Oracle Natural Science!

This November, fall in love with the changing seasons… get cozy AND sensual (they aren’t mutually exclusive after all)! Cheers! - Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: October '23

This month we pulled The Ship card from Lulu’s Lenormand. In traditional Lenormand decks the ship takes the form of a tall ship with sails out on the sea. The Ship card refers to movement, travel, and foreign places. It can be a call to get out and explore or a signal that your “ship is about to come in.”

In a world of daily international travel and global communication, Lulu’s Lenormand takes the Ship’s province even farther outside with a vintage-style UFO (or UAP as they’re now labeled). Take the appearance of this Ship as a sign to not only get moving or explore new places… but also as a call to get “outside of the normal.” Investigate places both outside and within.

This October get outside of your comfort zone, get weird, and look to new horizons!

If you’ve been in our studio this year you’ve seen the ongoing installation art piece “Odyssey of the Oracle” by Dani Hurst Brown. This large hand-woven wreath has become a beautiful document of the turning seasons. Dani has now released a zine that takes you through the practice of “Seasonal Wreathing” in which the creation of your own handmade wreath becomes a work of art, a nature offering, and a diary of the year.

For a cute pick-me-up or to gift as a little token of friendship we have new enamel pins by Kitty with a Cupcake! The Kitty Tarot Death card and the Pocket Familiar bat are adorable and fill that Halloween fun need.

This month we head out to Philadelphia. Alessandra and I will be joined by Tyler Thrasher, Ash Miyagawa, Jane Almirall, and Sweet Destructor for a weekend pop-up event at Bloodmilk’s Sphinx and Snakeskin 45 N 2nd St, Philadelphia. Friday the 13th 6-9pm and Saturday the 14th 12-5pm. If you’re in the Philly area come say hi! And KC folks, Melissa is holding down the fort in our studio so we will be open our normal hours still!

If you’re looking for some ideas for trying something new… Oracle has several classes on the roster for October. On Friday the 20th I (Laura) will be teaching a Candle Divination class. That Sunday the 22nd Alessandra will teach a Scorpion pinning class. And on Thursday the 26th she will give a Bone Lecture.

So this October have some fun trying out new things, stretching your wings, and go for a wild Autumn ride! - Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: December '22

What could be more appropriate for welcoming the official start of Winter than this Mountain Goat scaling a snow-covered peak under a nighttime rainbow? Navigating icy terrain (literal and emotional) with ease and confidence, this master climber looks to us with reassurance and encouragement. Watch your footing and keep going. This is the King of Cups card from the Gentle Tarot deck by Mari in the Sky. From the Gentle Tarot’s guide book: “My spirit is already at the top of this mountain. I simply have to meet it there.”

Moving into the hectic wintery months, in the studio we get more requests for ideas that help foster an atmosphere of comfort and grounding; looking for ways to support that inner mountain goat with his emotional maturity and sure-footed progress.

Maintaining a connection to nature can feel more difficult in times when the outside world goes into hibernation and the chill feels unwelcoming. Honoring both the quiet and internal nature of the season while also keeping up with hectic end-of-year schedules and commitments can feel daunting. Remember to take time for yourself and small quiet activities.

Making small bouquets of dried leaves, picking up a pinecone you find on your walk, or hanging a simple chime in your window to draw your eye towards the sky now and again are simple ways to feel more aligned with the season.

The Witch’s Book of Self-Care is filled with tips and ideas for reconnecting with yourself and honoring your spiritual and emotional health.

Lighting a beeswax candle can lift the spirits while cleansing the air and bring a gentle warm glow to your room. The Mirth Pillar Candle by Alyssia Mazella provides 40 hours of burn time.

Rose Quartz is said to be a stone with gentle and nurturing energy. These smooth palm-sized Rose Quartz Moons make perfect pocket companions or a lovely desktop piece. Also a sweet token of affection for a friend or loved one.

Aragonite is prized as a crystal aid in emotional healing. Aragonite Star Clusters are a beautiful reminder to stay calm and confident in self-healing work and emotional growth. They make a lovely meditative focal point as you can stare into the crystal points forever!

December brings many challenges; between harsher weather and heightened social expectations it can be difficult to keep grounded. Take time to tap into your confidence and make solid steady progress at whatever pace is manageable for you at the moment. The mountain can be climbed. One step at a time…

— Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: November '22

For November we chose a deck with soothing and gentle energy, Gold Lyre Tarot by Lacy Martin and Christine Scanlon. The Death card, with its message of inevitable change, is a fitting draw for the cooling and darkening days of November. From the Gold Lyre’s guide book: “Death reverberates a contrast to anything that holds life. She holds out her skull as an offering.”

Given our work here at Oracle as a taxidermy studio, Death is woven into much of our daily endeavors. As we approach the animal remains we work on with respect and seek to honor them in their new stage of existence, we also consider that even within life we are constantly changing. Our personal evolutions take place in both tiny and monumental ways. Memorials are done with love and holding space for the emotions and memories of those involved.

Rituals are done as a way to mark these transitions and acknowledge the impact that has been made. “Death holds out her skull as an offering.” We hold out our hands, our lit candles, our tears, our flowers and stones in response. A call and response to the inevitable losses that comes from embodied existence in a fragile and complex world.

Finding ways to mark and honor the changes which occur in our lives can help us process our often complex emotions surrounding these events.

Taking time to consciously observe a transition can ground and calm us. Memorial work allows us to integrate lessons learned and reignite hopes for the future. Seek solace in written words. Find beauty and grounding in objects from the natural world. Light a candle as an offering of light and a release of energy. Memorial work can be as ornate or as simple as you need it to be.

From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty chronicles death practices from several cultures and explores what makes mourning practices effective.

This is Your Brain on Grief zine by Faith G. Harper is a quick and simple guide on what to do and say (and not) for yourself and others when experiencing any type of grief.

Apache Tear crystals (a form of Obsidian) are specifically associated with grief and said to aid in grounding, protection, and emotional cleansing. These smooth glassy stones are found in Mexico and the Southwestern part of the United States. Wearing an Apache Tear or carrying one with you can help you reconnect to joy even in times of loss and sadness.

Elegy Candles by Moth and Candle were made exclusively for Oracle with memorials in mind. The hand-dipped beeswax tapers are dressed with an herbal blend: Hawthorn for love. Nettle for strength. Lavender for peace. In each pair, one candle is dressed with an Obsidian crystal for courage and grounding; and the other has a Rainbow Moonstone for soothing sorrow.

Victorian Sympathy Cards by Open Sea Design Co. are a simple way to send a quick note of understanding to a loved one. You could also jot down favorite memories or wishes and tuck them away for your future self to read.

November’s days may bring cold temperatures and less sunlight, encouraging us to draw more inward. The coming holiday season can bring up difficult emotions and surface memories of those no longer with us. Take time to honor the difficult feelings that appear. Sometimes just having a cup of tea and allowing the emotions to speak their message will bring closure and growth. May your sorrows be acknowledged and released. — Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science