Reading with the Medicine Cards:

As mentioned, my main deck for the month of January 2015 will be Jamie Sams Medicine Cards.

This deck is well known and one of my main reading decks for public readings.

Most of my Native American querants request this deck, because they are not much for Tarot in general, but THIS Oracle deck  deals with “THEIR MANITOUS” = their Sacred Grandfathers, the Animal Spirits.

They are looking for advice from them and often, before I start a reading, they put down Tobacco = put a pinch of tobacco or also Sage or a twig of Cedar on the table.

Then we read.

I ask them, of what Clan they are and THAT CARD I pick out of the deck and put it up as a significator.

It is their Clan Guardian. That is different then their personal Spirit Guide. Should during the reading that one appear, they usually are VERY glad 🙂

I usually lay out a “6 directions + You” spread and read accordingly.

Most First Nations People around here are Anishenabee, Odawa or Mohawk and it helps , that I know the names of many of  the Animal Manitous in the respective languages and also what their spiritual significance is in THEIR traditional belief system, which often is quite different from what Jamie Sams writes in her book.

After the reading the querant will get to take a picture with his cell phone – or I take it for him/ her and then they will – in a very poignant and Sacred manner put “Silver” = money onto the reading, to ensure to the Spirits,, that they received the message and will heed it.

Trouble usually is, that I will have to let this reading =+ the Medicine Gifts then lay um-disturbed until sundown – or sunrise…..

I always better ask, before just gathering the cards together and clean off the money….

So- to continue reading, I will put another blanket over it and Iffff another person wants a reading with this deck I better have another full set of cards for them. So, for readings of this sort I have at least 4 decks and a lot of table coverings. Red, green or yellow being preferred colours.

I have had it, that a while later the querant – or a loved one came back bringing a snall Medicine Gift, a Feather, a hand made token or even a few more coins…..

Sooo I always have enough dough to buy yet another deck of the card.s

Often I give away a portion of this “Power” back to the First Nations, during the “Blanket Dances” for the needy or in the raffles to raise money on the local Res.

My Native querants know this and are OK with that. It only gives more “Power” or kanstansera” as the Haudenosaunee would say.

Now, sure there are also none Native sitters, that want a reading with the Medicine Cards. But it is rather rare. Most people interested in Oracles have this deck at home and so they chose another Animal themed deck or Tarot deck for their reading with me.

Here a few of my additional cards, created from the blanks provided: