Shuffling Your Wee Folk Toracles Deck

This may seem like a strange subject to post about since everyone knows how to shuffle a deck of cards, right? Chances are, this is true, but what do your cards look like after a period of time? 

If you've ever been to a Renaissance Fair and stopped in to see a Card Reader (and there are many at a Fair like this), the cards you see are usually quite tattered. It is nearly impossible to see what the picture on any particular card is as they are worn, cracked, even torn. This COULD be from use, but it could also be for SHOW. After all, who wants to go see a Card Reader who is using a brand new deck of Tarot cards? This Card Reader would have to be a novice (wouldn't they?), which means you might not get your money's worth. Well... personally, I like to see what is on the cards that come up for me because, even after a reading, I like to examine the cards I remember (in my mind) because sometimes another interpretation makes sense over what the Card Reader gave me.

So, let's talk about the Shuffle. There are two kinds of Card Readers. One prefers never to have another person touch their cards, so they will ask their client to tell them their question and shuffle while having the client concentrate. The other prefers to have the client shuffle the cards because they may feel that the energy exchange between the client's question and the cards is stronger this way. I am of the second mind. I enjoy having my clients be a part of the whole reading, including the Shuffle.

There are soooo many different decks of Tarot cards out there and most of them don't require any kind of special instruction for Shuffling. The Wee Folk Toracles cards are a bit different. In a reading, whether using the cards as an Oracle deck or a Tarot deck, both sides of the cards are used. The Wee Folk photo on the one side of the cards can give a great deal of insight into a client's question and the other side of each card holds a written message from that particular card's Wee Folk. If you aren't careful with your Wee Folk Toracles deck, you may get to the point where you are unable to read the message on the one side of the card and you might find it difficult to see the Wee Folk on the other side. What kind of reading could you give then? Of course, you might know the cards well enough by this time so as not to need to actually read the messages, but what if your memory suddenly goes on sabbatical - even for a moment?

There are two main ways that a deck of cards can be shuffled. One is called "The Bridge" and it is this manner of shuffling that tends to create creases, bends and tears in any deck of cards if shuffled this way often. Try to remember back to when you worked and worked at learning how to shuffle a deck of cards this way because it was so cool! For the Wee Folk Toracles deck, I feel this is the most damaging way to shuffle.

"The Bridge"

The other way I call the "Side Shuffle". This way slides the cards gently against one another with no bending, creasing or tearing. It is also the form of shuffling that limits the amount of skin oil from the fingers (including whatever oil residue is left from their lunch) which will slowly become embedded into the cards as the coating on any deck eventually fades away. After awhile, as the coating wears away, the cards get sticky. This "Side Shuffle" is the least damaging to the Wee Folk Toracles deck.

"Side Shuffle"

If you allow your clients to shuffle, you will have to tell them that you need them to "Side Shuffle". You may find that most clients are proficient with "The Bridge" (remember all that practice), but many have a lot of difficulty with the "Side Shuffle". If this is the case and it looks like you'll spend more time picking the cards up from the table or floor, you might help your client out by gently taking the cards from them and side shuffling while they concentrate on their question. Other clients will have no problem and will easily Side Shuffle without spilling.

You can, of course, allow your clients to shuffle your Wee Folk Toracles deck whatever way you choose, but this is my recommendation to make sure that your cards last a long time for you.

Creation of the Wee Folk Toracles

I began photographing Wee Folk in May of 2016, though when I went out with my camera, Wee Folk wasn't even in my list of hopeful things to catch in my pictures. I actually was looking for other paranormal phenomena such as orbs, ectoplasms, apparitions, and the like for a website my husband and I had had since 2004 called the Night Watchman Chronicles.

As a side note, we had been talking seriously about letting the Night Watchman Chronicles website go as paranormal websites like ours were a dime a dozen by this time (2016). My husband's interests had moved in a different direction and I admit to being at a loss as to where to go next if we did allow the website to disappear after 14 years. As the saying goes, "When one door closes, another opens", and I have no doubt that my guide, Sakeina, helped to bring about this change of direction for me. In going through my photos, I discovered my first Wee Folk and the Night Watchman Chronicles became a love of the past in January 2017, replaced by Land of Wee Folk - a whole new adventure.

Taken at the Effigy Mounds in Harper's Ferry, Iowa

I continued to photograph, finding Wee Folk in many of my photos, and before I knew it, I had hundreds of Wee Folk pictures. My eyes, being practiced in finding the Wee Folk after several weeks, picked up many Wee Folk in the photographs I knew that others would probably not be able to see. This changed my way of viewing and I began searching for only those Wee Folk that appeared three dimensional and that I was certain other people would be able to see without difficulty. I wanted to make sure that the photos I presented would not be considered pareidolia - the ability to see patterns of familiar things in clouds, wall paper, carpet, etc. that aren't really there.

As often happens, I was given the idea of working with the Wee Folk to create a deck of cards. The idea came as a random thought - often the way my guide, Sakeina, offers me suggestions - and I began to find even more wonderful three dimensional Wee Folk in my photos that would work on a deck of cards. This was confirmation that creating the deck was the way I should go.

The ability to create this deck came in bits and pieces over a number of years, though I had no idea where these abilities were leading. In 2006, I met Sakeina through a woman from England who drew pictures of guides when looking at a person's photograph. At the same time, I was urged in my dreams to create an alphabet board and purchase a pendulum, so I could learn to communicate with my guide once I knew who she was. Dowsing (using the board and pendulum) became a part of my life and I've taught many others to dowse their guides as well. Later, I began reading cards - not Tarot (though I dabbled), but playing cards - and I created a deck of cards that would make it easier for me to read when out in public. I also began reading photographs for others through the Night Watchman Chronicles website. People would send me photos with paranormal anomalies in them and I would dowse with Sakeina who would give me messages from these photographs - messages that were meant for the people who took the photographs and the feedback from these people was quite heartwarming. The skills I needed to work with the Wee Folk I was photographing had all fallen into place.

The Wee Folk Toracles card deck has been created by the Wee Folk I have photographed. Each Wee Folk, whose photo I chose, readily agreed to be a part of this deck and to give a message they felt would be helpful to anyone using the Wee Folk Toracles. Sakeina, my guide, was the go-between, and the board and pendulum were used for each and every message. Being human, it's often difficult not to form an opinion or image of what I believe the Wee Folk in a particular photograph was sharing. Needless to say, I was amazed as the messages I received came through and I realized how wrong my preconceived ideas were about them.

Each Wee Folk began their dowsing session with their name and the subject matter title, then proceeded to give me the message. It was a long process, but the outcome is a deck of cards, picture and message, delivered by a world of people that is virtually unseen and considered myth. How exciting is that!!!

It is an honor to be able to photograph and bring these Wee Folk to you and my hope is that you will learn as much from them as I have. Their wisdom is truly amazing!