The Belline Oracle is composed of 53 cards, picturing symbolic images drawn by Mage Edmond, a professional seer whose practice in the 1800s was located in Paris, France.
The cards were created to be used on his clients, some famous like Alexandre Dumas and others who were part of the bourgeoisie. Did he know that those cards would be mass produced a century or so later? That is the question! He was a cartomancer and an astrologer who published a few books on his expertise like palmistry and astrology.
His cards are not meant to be artistic but to be used as an esoteric gateway to prophecizing the future; his knowledge and his esoteric background, including Freemasonry, Rosicrucian and alchemy come out in his depictions. Understanding his choices of colors and design provide a deep understanding of the oracle, an important foundation to expand the reader’s knowledge for today’s modern cartomancy.
Belline was also a famous psychic in the 60s who found the jewel in an attic and Edmond’s lost journal on his creation. Aware of its importance, Belline convinced Maître Grimaud to recreate the cards for print, and to ensure commercial success, stamped his name onto the deck. It worked! The Belline Oracle became the fascination of an entire generation of card readers and to this day, continues to fascinate the world of cartomancy.
Unfortunately, literature exclusively in French followed without allowing the oracle to be internationally available. Its distribution is accessible in Europe but is inexistent in the Anglo-Saxon marketplace – unless one is willing to buy overseas and pay a premium for getting the cards.
Writing a book in English was the only way to create the bridge by which the oracle could find a new audience, and hopefully an expanded distribution. The same situation was happening for decades to the Lenormand cards prior to my release of the Secrets of the Lenormand Oracle in 2007. The good news is that the renaissance of the Lenormand has guaranteed its continuity in the cartomancy world. The hope is to ensure the same fate to the Belline Oracle.
The original Belline cards are distributed by France Cartes (Grimaud), and printed the old fashion way; plates print the cards, the stock paper is thick and expensive, the box is sturdy. The rare deluxe version has even gold gilt edges! This deck is not digitally printing in Asia but traditionally in Europe. It can easily be purchased on Amazon.fr or on eBay (mandala-bis sells the original worldwide at a great price).
Disclaimer: The Secrets of the Belline Oracle does not come with the Belline Oracle. The cards can be purchased separately either through the different worldwide Amazon, or on Ebay and other online retailers. For any inquiry, please visit SylvieSteinbach.com
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