The Green Man Tree Oracle; whats it like?

Chubby Mummy

Has anyone got this deck? If yes, what is it like, I wanted a new oracle and werent sure what to get... I came across this on amazon and the reviews look great, but obviously what do you lot really think??

xx
cm
 

Leo62

Hi Chubby Mummy
I sold my copy, as I couldn't read with it.

Made me very sad, because the images are beautiful, but I just couldn't make a connection. The interpretations link the trees to the Celtic tree alphabet, the Ogham, and if you have an interest in that, then this deck may make more sense to you. A friend of mine also has a copy, and although she can't read with it either, she often pulls a card and keeps it on display just to be inspired by the imagery.

If you are familiar with Will Worthington's artwork from the Druid Animal Oracle or the Druidcraft tarot, and you like his stuff, then my advice would be... go for it. Hope this helps ;]
 

Alta

Hi,

I bought this set. I returned it because the book was faulty (missing a large number of pages, with a corresponding number repeated). At least that the was the reason I gave the seller. I mean it was true but I asked for a refund not another set because I just could not make anything of the cards. My two cents, no doubt others love it. Marion
 

Owlface

Green Man Tree Oracle

I got this oracle a while back because a) I've become interested in the native trees of Britain and their associations, mythical, druidic, medicinal, and so on and b) because I hoped it would be clearer than the Celtic Tree Oracle. I must admit that I still don't understand much about Ogham but I don't think that's the book's fault!

Both the creators of this oracle are steeped in Druidic tradition and practice, so their work is deeply-felt as well as being informative. The cards are beautiful and rather mysterious. Each card has a face somewhere in the foliage or on the tree's bark-it's not always easy to spot !

I use the cards for reflection and meditation rather than for readings.

love

rosyelf
 

EricTheHermit

From what I've read about the Green Man Tree Oracle, the flaw does lie with the book that accompanies the deck, and I'm not talking about printing errors. The book gives the basic meanings of the cards, but doesn't really tell you how to read with the deck. I can see how hard it must be to connect to the cards. A pity, because the artwork is beautiful.

Oh well, the Druidcraft Tarot is still on my wish list; I've seen scans, and I just love that deck! :)

- Eric
 

EricTheHermit

Druidry site

If you're interested in Druidry and want to learn more, check out this site:

http://druidry.org/

- Eric
 

zorya

the green man tree oracle is a beautiful deck!

my book doesn't have any pages missing, but several are out of order. other than the pages being out of order, i have no problem at all, with the book. the author, john matthews is a well respected scholar of all things celtic.

this is actually just a card version of the celtic tree ogham, so if you have other books on the ogham, you can also use them to interpret the deck.
 

Chubby Mummy

Thank you everyone...

I also have the druidcraft and its one of my favourites. I am also very drawn to nature, trees and all things green... I often find myself going to my local garden centre to simply absorb a bit of nature... i feel so much better after... Anyhow after giving it some thought, i have taken your advice Zorya, and have ordered the green man oracle along with another book to understand the ogham... apparently its hard to learn, but hey im always up for a bit of hard work...

xxx
thank you all once again for taking the time to help me!!

xxx
cm
btw, i will post here when i recieve it and let you all know what i think of it!!! :*
 

Sophie

I have just received this Oracle. I have loved trees for a long time - as a little girl I was always climbing them and sitting up there, dreaming...

I used to climb our tall pine tree; and also the apple and large cherry tree. There was also a giant birch tree I used to sit under, to read or write or just daydream. She was like a vegetable mother to me. And a hazel that was at the bottom of the garden, I used to go and see how it was faring, talk to it, look at its growing hazelnuts - and eat them when they ripened! Later, in another garden, the willow by the stream, which used to shimmer in the wind, was my favourite.

Looking at the Oracle, I see all those trees and plants there, and some more I loved, like honeysuckle and hawthorn and beech.

The book tells me pines give an overview - and certainly I had a very good view from my tall pine!; apple lends clear and deep vision; the birch gets you off to a good start; the hawthorn presents you with a challenge; honeysuckle is magic and the noble beech helps you across a threshold. The lovely willow brings harmony and inspiration. It was the card I drew for "what I need now."

The book - mine has no faults btw - also tells you various legends and myths associated with trees, as well as popular lore - hazel, for instance, is known as the faery tree, has magical properties, and its wood is used to make dowsers wands (as is willow); it is also a tree of fertility. It is not a thick compendium but enough to start me off on my own explorations.

More than anything, the oracle is giving me the urge - the urgency! - to cycle over to Jussy Forest, about 4 kilometres away, and pay a visit to the trees there....

So, whether I can read with it or no - too soon to tell - I think I will find much pleasure, inspiration and folklore in this oracle. I have already used it once in a reading on this forum, in conjuction with the DruidCraft. They go very well together.
 

WolfSpirit

I love the Green Man Tree Oracle. Don't forget to look for the faces in the trees when you get the deck ;)
You don't need to know Ogham to use the deck, the Introduction of the book talks about the Ogham alphabet. But in the description of the cards, there is a section on Divinatory meaning and Folk lore that give a good impression of what the tree stands for. If you "feel the characters" of the different trees you can use the cards for readings.
In the back of the book are sample spreads and a few sample readings as well. As it is such a different system from everything I was used to, I like to use smaller spreads for now - I really love the 3-card spread with 1. branches; 2. trunk; 3. roots.

I think the book is very good and has a lot of information on tree lore; I don't understand why people say it is not good ? The book is not a "quick reading guide" with keywords or something like that. But for someone interested in the subject it has a lot to offer. After all, trees don't grow that big in one day either, do they ;) ?