Deck Review: Día de los Muertos Oracle

• Author: Kelly Sullivan Walden
• Artist: Emily K. Grieves de Reyes Contla
• Publisher: Blue Angel; provided by Llewellyn, the US distributor for Blue Angel – Día de los Muertos Oracle | Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
• Publication Date: April 2023
• RRP: $28.95 USD / £18.99 GBP
• Reviewer: Cadence (IG: @temperanceandtruth)

The Día de los Muertos oracle came to be following a few key events for author Kelly Sullivan Walden: significant personal losses, including her own near-death experience, an invitation to join a Día de los Muertos fiesta, and an introduction to artist Emily K. Grieves de Reyes Contla at a workshop in Teotihuacán, Mexico. Inspired by Emily’s breadth of knowledge of Mexican folklore, a collaboration for the Día de los Muertos oracle was born. The author’s hope is that the oracle will help to change our relationship with death from something to be feared and mourned to a celebratory and peaceful recognition of the natural processes of life, such that we can express gratitude for every moment we have with those we love and bravely face the loss of loved ones.

My personal introduction to Día de los Muertos came from a close friend who grew up in a blended family of Mexicans and Americans. Each year, she would set up an altar in her home with candles and photos and don a beautiful red dress. She would transform her face with paint to look like a calavera, a skull. A very long scarf cascaded down her back with hand-written names of lost loved ones. The entire tradition was so beautiful and heart-felt. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to dip into the significance of this cherished Mexican celebration by working with the oracle.

The artwork in the deck is a feast for the eyes. Colorful borders that look like flags line each card. The images are all set in a frame of marigolds, which are significant in Día de los Muertos celebrations. Marigolds are meant to serve as a beacon to help loved ones find their way home during the annual celebrations. Every painting is incredibly colorful, which helps to change our stigma of death as something dark and scary. Let’s look at a few of my favorites.

Each guidebook entry begins with a key phrase and a quote, followed by a message, a meaning, and a mantra. I have really loved working with the oracle as a means of communication with my Ancestors. Card 3, Ancestros, along with card 21, Cementerio, and card 37, Rosario, beautifully depict ceremony, mourning, and prayer in death. In Ancestros, the key phrase is ‘Feel the collective strength of those who paved the road for you’. The Message is several paragraphs long and written as a direct message from ancestors. I particularly like the part that is a quote from ancestors: “Hear us say: ‘All we want for you is everything you want for yourself and more. We love you more than you can imagine. You are precious to us. We have your back, front, and the rest of you. You are enough, and you have what you need to create your most fulfilling life’”. In the Meaning section, we are reminded that, “The Day of the Dead ceremony is a family reunion, where your departed friends and family members (ancestors) are the guests of honor”. The Mantra reads, “I revel in the collective brilliance of my loved ones who’ve gone before me, letting their love lift me higher, making me stronger than I ever could be on my own”.  While all of the messages in the entry are positive, they are by no means toxic positivity…the guidebook entries all acknowledge the grief, pain, and suffering that comes from losing a loved one.

Classic imagery, such as the Quetzalcóatl in card 36 and la Virgen de Guadalupe in card 22, are stunningly depicted in the artist’s paintings. In Quetzalcóatl, we are given a short introduction to the Mayan plumed serpent, representing, “the integration of the three worlds: the snake that crawls in the ground (our primitive aspects), the aware being that has relationships within our tribe (our social or ego aspect), and the eagle that flies in the air (our spiritual aspect)”. The Mantra reads: “My earthly nature holds hands with my social self, who holds hands with my highest spiritual being. My sacred inner trinity is a force to be reckoned with.” I also love the inclusion of Frida Kahlo, card 20, the Mexican artist, much-loved for both her passionate art and the way she prevailed over deep life difficulties.

The deck comes in a colorful, two-piece box with a 216-page guidebook. The guidebook includes the story of the oracle creation and suggestions for how to work with the deck.  The cards are typical oracle-sized and are a beautiful matte satin finish. Though the artwork is worthy of the purchase alone, the author’s words, especially the Messages in each entry, are like direct messages from your ancestors. It’s a beautiful format that feels special and inviting. We are given the opportunity to participate in a beloved Mexican tradition without feeling like outsiders. At this time of year, when the veil is thin, the Día de los Muertos oracle is a perfect accompaniment to ancestor work. Highly recommend!

[Side note: If you like pairing oracles and tarot, some pairings that worked particularly well for me were Bonefire Tarot and Tarot Avatara; Desert Illuminations Tarot, Tarot de St. Croix, and The Illuminated Deck of Holy Souls.]

About the creators:

Kelly Sullivan Walden is a spiritual counselor and author of eleven books, many of which focus on dream work. She is the creator of other journals and oracle decks for Blue Angel, including Wild Dreams Animal Oracle, Luminous Humanness Oracle Cards; and Hero’s Journey Dream Oracle.

Emily K. Grieves de Reyes Contla is an artist and healer. She resides in Teotihuacán, Mexico, where her art is inspired by Mexican culture and ancestral wisdom. She explores dreamwork and symbolism in her art and leads others in her work as an Intentional Creativity Teacher.

Día de los Muertos Oracle is available for purchase from Llewellyn here, and from Blue Angel here, and is available from all good online bookstores.