Deck Review: The Psychopomps Oracle
- Creators: Created by Tiffany Lazic, Illustrated by Fabio Listrani
- Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide: The Psychopomps Oracle | Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
- Publication Date: September 2026
- RRP: USD $24.99 / GBP £27.00
- ISBN: 978-0-7387-8247-8
- Reviewed by: Mary du Plessis
With all the talk this time of year (spooky season) about ancestors and guides and everything macabre, I was drawn to the concept of psychopomps as a practical approach to working with the darkness. Our ‘inner’ darkness.
Because dead doesn’t mean the end, it means transition and that’s the whole purpose of this deck by Tiffany Lazic. Let’s dive down (pun intended), shall we?
The Psychopomps gather in eight categories:
Passage Guides
Threshold Keepers
Gatherers
Rescuers
Visitors
Comforters
Harbingers
Master Healers
Each psychopomp’s page includes an individual and comprehensive description of their history and purpose. There are two useful divination applications, for contemplation and for meditation and the information is complete and significant for beginning a personal journey with the psychopomp.
What Works (for me):
The intriguing practical mystic approach to the intended use of the cards. This work is intentionally life-changing and not to be taken lightly. Each card calls on the psychopomps connected to various traditions and beliefs. The images and the guide respect and honor the sacred work of both the practice and the practitioners.
Fabio Listrani’s illustrations are nothing short of artistic masterpieces and I could recommend this deck for the historical artwork alone.
What Doesn’t Work (also for me):
I’m going to ask the question, again. Why are most oracle cards so large? They’re difficult to shuffle without creating a bit of chaos in the act. Maybe I’ve just answered my own question. This is a minor annoyance and not limited to this deck.
While I appreciate the wide range of traditions incorporated in this deck, I have concerns about drawing from those considered ‘closed’ and/or requiring more to honor the psychopomp featured than calling on them as part of a divination practice. There is always an exchange and those unfamiliar with the ‘how and why’ a certain psychopomp should be approached are encouraged to do a little research first. Just because we ‘can’ (by using this deck) doesn’t mean we should.
In Summary:
A big part of my own spiritual work is finding the threads that weave the web of spirituality that connects us all. Guidance from the Psychopomps does an excellent job of showing the similarities between a wide range of beliefs. We are more alike than we are different.
That said, I also think that in my opinion, not every card should be used by every person in practice. This is an excellent tool for learning more about the practice of psychopomps, doulas, and other death guides. But a deck of cards and a guidebook can’t replace the deep understanding of entire traditions, so treat each card as the sacred doorway it is. You don’t need to, nor should you, enter them all.
Mostly following my own advice, here’s an example of my three-card Threshold reading from the guidebook. Photos are included, along with others from the deck:
Banshee (Release) – Isis (Accept) – Hermes (Embrace)
My ancestors are predominately Irish, so the first card sent me down a rabbit hole. It is recorded that the Banshees were attached to five families in Ireland and I can tie directly back to three of them, so the card is definitely speaking to me. Banshees fall in the Warning category, and I’m advised to stop resisting my intuition and address a situation dynamic by immersing myself into the ‘whole mucky sense of it’. I initially typed ‘avoiding’ instead of ‘resisting’ in the earlier sentence, so I feel that’s significant.
Isis sits in the Comforter category. I’m a Cabot Priestess so while not an Egyptian magical tradition, her pantheon is often honored. Again, I am focusing on the connection before collaborating with her. Isis brings the reminder that while fragmented, we are still whole and sovereign. However, this requires us to be gentle, yet persistent, in our efforts as we reintegrate the pieces of ourselves as they are now.
Finally, Hermes is a Passage Guide from the Greek Pantheon. Again, I feel comfortable working with this psychopomp as Greek mythology was my gateway into the world of the gods outside of Christianity. Hermes brings clarity in the messages from our inner awareness. He’s come to help me ‘make sense of it all’, by guiding me to the vantage point where I can see the whole situation from a higher perspective.
By applying the information provided in the guidebook to the positions directed on the spread, the Banshee is telling me, in no uncertain terms, that the only way out is through. Scream into the void if I must, but I’ve got to ‘do it’. Isis offers support by reminding me of who I am and what I’m capable of doing. And Hermes lifts me to his birds-eye perspective, allowing me to not only see the finish line, but what comes after and why it’s worth the effort.
Your mileage may vary!
About the creators, from the Llewellyn Media Release:
Tiffany Lazic (Wales, UK) is a spiritual psychotherapist with nearly thirty years of experience in individual, couples, and group therapy. She is an international presenter, keynote speaker, and retreat facilitator. Tiffany is the founder of the Soul Alchemist Academy, offering liminal learning for modern mystics and psychopomps. Visit her at TiffanyLazic.com.
Fabio Listrani (Rome, Italy) is an award-winning artist who has illustrated for various international entities, including Marvel, Titan Comics, Heavy Metal, and IDW Publishing. He is also the creator of Night Sun Tarot and Santa Muerte Tarot.
