This deck is reviewed by Lalia Wilson, who was provided a review copy by the publisher.
The deck and book were created by Fred Hageneder and illustrated by Abbe Heng; it is published by Earthdancer (2020), a division of Inner Traditions, Inc.
The Tree Angel Oracle is a 36 card deck. These larger than usual cards are 3 7/8” by 5 1/3”. The cards themselves have white borders. The full color images, and large card size, make these cards even more approachable. The accompanying book is also 3 7/8” by 5 1/3” and 144 pages, with all cards illustrated in black and white. The bulk of the tree species are native to northwestern Europe, and only familiar in literature to those of us who live elsewhere. In fact, Tolkien fans who have read the novels closely will find themselves in one of Tolkien’s forests.
The artwork conveys the holiness of the angelic realm and nature. Each and any of the images is worth meditating upon as well as making a larger version to post for more meditation. Also of note is that each card, and tree angel, is shown as a positive force in the world. There are no negatives.
You will find three cards shown on the Scopes page. Here we look closer at three more cards. First up is the Ginkgo Tree Angel. Unlike most of the other trees, the ginkgo is an ancient surviving species of a genera that went extinct nearly 300 million years ago. It is cultivated around the world, but only found in nature in China. Ginkgo brings hope. After the bombing of Hiroshima, four ginkgo trees (all in religious lands) were among the few living survivors within a mile of the blast’s center. One, 2/3 of a mile from the target, bloomed the next year. The Ginkgo Tree Angel reminds us of our place in living history. We are the descendants of those who survived, and our descendants will follow.
The Scots Pine Tree Angel brings clarity, perseverance, courage, the ability to create newly, to be a pioneer. The pine allows us to be direct and sincere. When our inner Scots Pine is connected to a higher purpose, we succeed. The Scots Pine is connected to the warrior tradition in Scotland. Warriors were buried with a sprig of Scots Pine.
Finally we look at the Spruce Angel which helps us connect to the higher realms. Once we do so, our everyday lives are of less importance. The spruce is connected with isolation and loneliness, in some ways like the Hermit card in the tarot. Both seek enlightenment through solitude.
This deck is lovely and solemn. The tree angels up our spiritual game, asking us to go deeper and connect to the realms of nature and heaven. And if that’s not enough, learning how to interpret this deck will require some work as well, as the concepts are new and unrelated to our tarot studies. If this deck speaks to you, go for it.