Symbolorum Oracle Cards the Secret Wisdom of Emblems

The Symbolorum Oracle Cards Unlocking the Secret Wisdom of Emblems

 “The world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats

Now, more than ever – we may find ourselves desperate for deeper meaning beyond the obvious. We long for a cosmic connection which will enable us to access/develop our better, nobler selves. Introspection feels more essential than ever, and even harder to practice in our increasingly distracted and distractible world. As badly as we require intention, we crave mystery and magic. We seek ingress – and Mandy Aftel has responded to this burgeoning spiritual need.

“I am a great admirer of mystery and magic. Look at this life – all mystery and magic.” ~ Harry Houdini

Artisanal perfumer, author, educator/mentor, and artist Mandy Aftel has just released a corollary companion to her fascinating volume Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of Emblems. It’s an oracle deck, filled with 60 completely new emblems for our personal contemplation and divination. What distinguishes an oracle deck from a tarot deck? One aspect is that the tarot is defined by strict rules which conform to a 78-card configuration – and oracle decks are not bound by structure, card count, or thematics. Unlike the tarot, no particular study is required; one doesn’t have to memorize specific knowledge. For the novice, the oracle process may prove more user-friendly and intuitive; it can be initiated by drawing a single card and contemplating its connotations.

Mandy Aftel, award-winning natural perfumer and best selling author photo by Foster Curry

“This deck and guidebook is a complement to the 100 emblems in my book Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of Emblems, and the 60 new emblems it features are entirely different and have never been published in modern times. They are something completely new for the wisdom seeker.” ~ Mandy Aftel

Symbolorum Oracle Cards Oracle # 2 (all the more abundant) is paired with Cedarwood

Mandy has thoughtfully provided a beautifully illustrated guidebook which enables the participant to utilize the 60 given cards in one of three ways: a) the one-card pull for daily practice and counsel; b) the three-card pull, which represents where you’ve been, where you currently are, and where you are going; and c) one card is drawn in response to asking a specific question regarding your life path/struggles/goals. Mandy has gone one step further: each card has been paired with a Companion Scent, which she suggests inhaling deeply while you meditate upon that card’s given image and maxim.  The most effective way to understand the oracle deck is to put it to the test. I decided to follow Mandy’s advice and implement her emblem cards in the following order. First I drew one card at random from the deck; it happened to be #2, the olive tree with pruned branches. The pertinent message here was that I would do well to excise the blighted branches so that the tree will flourish as a result. I took this one to heart, because I often hesitate to remove some of the dysfunctional aspects of my life for fear of causing pain – even though I would be happier and healthier if I did so.

 The Symbolorum Oracle Cards Collage of cards # 49 paired with lily, #22, paired with spearmint and #55 benzoin (background is the back of all cards in the deck)

 Next, I decided to be brave and choose a three-card pull – not dissimilar to the tarot’s past, present, and future. I’ll admit, I always feel wary about such things, because I secretly believe that we each possess the power to set wheels in motion, facilitating a situation which we cannot control. What were these three oracle cards?  My past was represented by card # 49: Thorns encircling lilies, which illustrates blooming amidst hardship – an irrefutable truth. My present? Card # 22 – Wind blowing on reeds: this emblem signifies that we are bent – not broken, an uncanny blind pick which enmeshed with the previous card like a puzzle piece. And my future direction? Emblem # 55 said it all: Turn towards love and kindness and favor what sustains you, which showed a sunflower facing the sun. I’ll admit, my experience was eerily accurate. The accompanying companion scents which Mandy suggested were the following: cedarwood for removing the dross in my life; magnolia for blooming amidst hardship; spearmint for bending in the wind; and benzoin for favoring what sustains you. Fortunately for me, I happen to have these scents at the ready; this might be more complicated for others, because most normal people don’t collect quite so many. I suspect that the objective here is to utilize aroma as a therapeutic adjuvant which aids in one’s concentration while you focus on the image and corresponding message at hand.

It is every bit as ravishing as its counterpart. Mandy is scrupulously detail-oriented, a perfectionist – and this is fully demonstrated in the cards’ painterly presentation. If for no other reason than the fact that symbols surround us and suffuse us, it is a welcome (and affordable) quotidian luxury which many will enjoy, as I did. This is ideal for gift giving: portable, convenient, useful, and a delight to look upon. Like her Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of Emblems, it is predicated upon the works of Joachim Camerarius the Younger, published during the late Renaissance – and it shares the same ethos and aesthetics. I am thrilled to include it in my personal library of hermetic knowledge, and highly recommend it for anyone who appreciates mysticism, philosophy, and fine art.

“We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges.” ~ Gene Wolfe, Shadow & Claw

 The Symbolorum Oracle Cards was gifted by the author – many thanks! My opinions are my own.

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

Thanks to the generosity of  Mandy Aftel we have one deck of Symbolorum Oracle Cards for one registered reader worldwide. The giveaway is for registered readers only, so be sure to register if you have not done so. To be eligible please let us know what sparked your interest in Ida’s review, and why you would like to own the Aftelier Symbolorum Oracle Cards. Draw closes 10/31/2028

To Purchase on Amazon here

Or on the Aftelier Perfumes Site Here

Mandy Aftel received a ÇaFleureBon Best of Scent in the Hall of Fame category from Michelyn, Ida awarded Aftelier Perfumes Joie de Vert a ÇaFleureBon Top 10 perfume of 2021, Cepes and Tuberose was inducted into our ÇaFleureBon Hall of Fame by Ermano, Einsof’s review of Fragrant: The Secret Life Of Scent by Mandy Aftel, Ida’s review of The Museum of Scent: Exploring the Curious and Wondrous World of Fragrance

Symbolorum, The Secret Wisdom of Emblems was awarded Best Book of 2025 by Michelyn

Please read Michelyn’s Interview with Mandy Aftel here

Editor’s note: Special thanks to Senior Editor J Wearescentient for the collages.

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