The Tantric Dakini Oracle Cards – October 9, 2003

I really like the non-cheesy images; like they’re actually rooted in some history. They’re rich, exotic, diverse … and I think powerful (they’re not on some amazing card stock or anything but what cards are?) I appreciate the thought that went into them and find that you can use your imagination freely to intuit what messages come through for you via the images … OR use the book as a guide.

I've been using this deck as my primary for about 5-6 years now. Though I enjoy traditional tarot decks and various oracle cards - such as the Osho Zen and the Tao Oracle, which I also love, these are the symbols that speak to me the deepest. The authors have done an excellent job on the book, and I find myself being drawn into learning more and more about Tantra and Dakinis!

I have had this deck since 1983. And for 7 years it was the only tarot deck I used. It was originally called “the Secret Dakini Oracle” deck and the book was sold separately. This new version is essentially the same book with the deck packaged together with it. It is a non-traditional tarot deck with 22 cards that correspond to the Major Arcana, 10 cards for each Element, and 3 cards for Past, Present and Future. The cards are numbered one to sixty-four, with the Major Arcana first.The imagery on the cards is collages of photographs of Tantric paintings and statues, mixed with more modern imagery. Each card as a title printed clearly in black print on a white background in a large, easy to read font. These titles can easily be used as key-words to aid in triggering your intuition. To give an example: one of the Fire cards shows a genie bottle with a red mushroom cloud coming out of it. On top of the cloud is a human brain. The name of the card is “Blow Your Mind”.The book has two pages devoted to each card, including a black and white picture of the card. For each cards it tells you what is on the card (incase you can’t make out the details or don’t know what it is a picture of) and a detailed description of how to interpret it.By studying one card each day, I was able to learn to use this deck pretty easily and once I had, did not need to refer back to the book at all, for years.I highly recommend this deck for new and experienced occultists. The cards are very durable and I still use my original deck after all these years.

Definitely a deep perspective on spirituality. Some of the pics look like they come from the 70’s. That’s when the guidebook can come in handy. What were they on?! It’s unique

There are A LOT of mistakes in the book. The author seems to have wandered through India, heard the word Tantra thrown here and there, read a few books and pursued the leads without any existing knowledge of Tantra whatsoever. There is Buddhist Tantra and Hindu Tantra, which are not the same. The dakini principle exists in both however, but are seen in very different lights. All in all the book is all over the place, has FACTUAL errors - which is unforgivable. For example, the author mentions Padmasambhava - and then shortens his name to 'Padma' which means lotus. Padmasambhava is Padmasambhava. No one calls him Padma.. like ever. Then he says the Red Dakini is Vajravarahi - and goes on to describe Vajrayogini instead. Sure, both deities are similar but Vajravarahi is the sow head dakini, Varahi - means sow. Such errors just tells me the author has NO IDEA what he's talking about. He then goes on to mention the Kalachakra Tantra - which I don't know why he singled it out as an example of a tantric practice when this is a dakini deck and there are other Tantras out there specifically to do with activating the female dakini principle. Most Tibetan Buddhist practices are tantric practices, many were hidden by dakinis or written in dakini script anyways, not just the Kalachakra. Perhaps the reason why he singled the kalachakra out because it blatantly has Tantra on the title. The only reason why he didn't give a Dakini Tantra as an example is probably because he doesn't know they exist.Mind you, everything I've mentioned related to Buddhist Tantra, which the deck draws a lot of references from. I assumed this to be the case when I looked at the title. However, the author does not make this clear. And just calls it Tantra, which is very misleading. At no point in the book does he say that most of the ideas come from Buddhist Tantra. Hindu Tantra is very vast and it its own system with its unique iconography and practices. Sure, there are many overlaps but this deck is just confused. I won't be using this deck. The energy is all off. And also there is something offputting in the way the author talks about his travels in the east and finding the dakini temple in Orissa like some intrepid traveller. That temple is very well known.All in all, this is someone taking a subject matter that is deep and vast and turning it into some kind of gimmick. Regret purchasing this deck. The idea was cool but the execution is awful. Don't waste your money.

This oracle is one of my go to always

Rich and beautiful cards, rich in symbology and based upon authentic Tsbtric Teschings. My favorite divination deck. The cards provide the platform , the questioner provide the insight and relevance, A crowning achievement for Douglas and Dlknger.

I enjoy this deck and I do a tarot meditation with it very often. It's accuate readings and interpretation resonates with the issues and questions I may have and solutions on what to do/what to come, the different spreads this oracle deck offer is in depth and bringing light to the shadows of my denial. A great personal deck