As far as oracle decks go, Courtney Putnam’s Body Cards are a fairly unique concept. Methods of divination that rely upon the energy field of the human body; such as, muscle testing for one example, are accurate because our bodies have innate wisdom we can put to good use. The Body Cards are a lovely divination tool that provides us with another avenue for consulting the wisdom of our bodies. Putnam states that “[y]our body is your map, your muse, and your medicine” (guidebook, p. 5). Putnam demonstrates how The Body Cards bring this statement to life.

The Body Cards are a tool through which we can consult our own bodies for guidance. the card imagery serves as a metaphor for physical ailments. Putnam’s beautiful collages “symbolically represent the energy, essence, and deeper meaning of each part of the body used in this deck” (guidebook, p. 10). Symbols; such as, birds, frogs, and other animals, in addition to stars and other patterns are included for additional intuitive meaning.

Courtney Putnam’s artwork is beautiful. If you like scrapbooking, art journaling, card making, or rubber stamping, you will love her art. The overall style is very much like that of the artists whose work graces the pages of the mixed media art magazine Somerset Studio, which I have been reading for years. Each card is a delight for the eyes and the soul.

The cards measure 4 x 6″, which does make them difficult to shuffle, but I’m thankful for their larger size because a reader can see the finer details of the artwork. Card interpretations consist of the title of the piece, an aspect of the card’s image upon which to meditate,  the specific location within the body to which each card corresponds, the function of the associated body part, associated chakra, and overall interpretation. A reader can discern the card’s message as it pertains to the question asked within any of the aforementioned parts of the card’s interpretation. As a result, I strongly advise readers to go over every section of the card’s interpretation. Do not merely skip on ahead to the final interpretation of the card because you may miss some valuable insights.

Each card’s interpretation concludes with a “Try This” section. Included is the associated color along with suggestions on how to incorporate that color fully into your life, suggested uses for essential oils, and a physical activity that serves to activate the energy of that particular card in your life. I have experimented with this deck extensively and can tell you that these suggested practices do garner results.

As for asking questions, in my experience decks work differently for different people.  That being stated, I find that for me this deck is best suited for answering questions that focus on the reason behind something (why did she react as she did, etc ..). It is also well suited to answering questions that begin with “what is the nature of  <name>’s connection to <name>,” when asking about relationships. An example of this type of reading is below. When seeking guidance about making a decision it is best to phrase the question as, “how would I best benefit from <state your option>.” Then ask the same question about your other choices. Or you can ask “which choice is for my highest good,” and draw 1 – 2 cards on each alternative. Another type of question you can ask is “which body part requires attention at this time,” or “where in my body am I storing emotional disappointment/trauma” and then follow that up with “how can I release the emotional disappointment/trauma in a way that is the least painful for me?”

This deck answers the why, what, how, and which questions very well, but if you wish to know if John or Nancy loves you or what their feelings are for you, this deck does not respond well to that type of question – at least not in my experience with it. Another reader may have a completely different opinion.

Sample Reading

A client came to me with a question about her relationship. Both she and her partner see themselves as soul mates, but they sense the relationship goes even deeper than that. She asked if they could be twin flames. I asked the cards “what is the true nature of the connection between M and C? I drew the following cards:

Corpus Callosum: Communication ~ what is interesting is this body part is the bundle of nerves and neural pathways in the center of the brain that allows the two halves of the brain to communicate with each other. This immediately brought the twin flame concept to my mind. Without the proper function of the Corpus Callosum it would be impossible for the body to function correctly. the focus here is of pure and clear communication through kindness, compassion, and diplomacy. I interpreted this card to mean it’s important for M and C to remain clear in their communication with one another and this would be their strength as clear communication would strengthen their connection and ability to walk forward into the future together as a couple.

Soleus Muscles: Action ~ located within the calves,the Soleus Muscles are responsible for pumping blood from the lower extremities back up toward the heart. the Soleus Muscles help with balance and walking. the Soleus Muscles indicates it is time for M and C to take action on what they have been envisioning, yet they may resist or feel frightened of such action.

In summary, the Corpus Callosum verifies they do have a twin flame connection. They are two halves of the same whole, two parts of the same soul. Clear communication is of great importance. The Soleus Muscles urge them to take action now on whatever they may be hoping or planning to manifest.

Deck Design Specifics

The Body Cards are housed within a sturdy laminated box with a hinged lid and magnetic closure that allows the box to stand up on its end to be stored in a bookshelf like a book. The box measures 6 x 9 x 1 1/4″.

The guidebook measures 6 x 9″ and has 96 pages.  The guidebook is illustrated in full color throughout. Sections of the text  include Introduction, How to Use The Body Cards, 4 spreads, card interpretations, bibliography, and full color groupings of the cards as they correspond to each of the seven major chakras.

There are a total of 35 cards that are of excellent quality with a semi-gloss laminate.

The Body Cards is a unique system of divination. If you’ve been searching for something different, this is definitely the deck for you.

Blessings!

~ Nefer Khepri, PhD., R. M-T.

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Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in order to consider it for review. I only review those decks that are of interest to me & which I feel would also be of interest to my followers.