#056 What Oracle Cards Taught Me About Trusting Myself with Amanda Parker
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Amanda shares her personal journey from Oracle card skeptic to practitioner, revealing how a daily card practice became life-changing and how Oracle readings can help anyone gain clarity and connect with their inner wisdom.
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“An oracle reading is just an opportunity to really get in touch with yourself, to find out what some of those deeper threads might be that are beneath the surface that are harder for you to actually see and observe in your day-to-day life.”
Today's Guest
Amanda PArker
Amanda Parker is the host of the Don't Step on the Bluebells podcast and an intuitive guide that helps people to deeply trust their inner wisdom, quiet the external noise, and intentionally create a life fully aligned with their true self. She is a Certified Professional Coach (ICF PCC, CPCC) and spiritual guide using a unique blend of shamanic and energy healing practices to support you on your journey towards inner knowing and deep self-trust.
Amanda is a Reiki Master Healer and a member of the UK Reiki Federation, and has trained in psychic mediumship with the College of Psychic Studies and shamanism with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.
Amanda has worked in the field of leadership and personal development since 2017 - supporting clients from organizations such as World Bank Group, World Economic Forum, UNICEF, Zalando, Nestle, and LinkedIn. She previously worked in wildlife conservation with the World Wildlife Fund - supporting projects in forest and wetland protection across South America.
Amanda is a native New Yorker who has been living in London for the last 3.5 years, after over a decade in Berlin, Germany. She now lives in North London with her husband and their two cats, Zaki & Oreo.
How to get in touch:
Website: www.amandaparker.co
Instagram: @amandaparker.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandamparker/
Podcast: www.dontsteponthebluebells.com
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Show Notes
What if the clearest guidance is the voice you’ve been ignoring? We open up about how oracle readings shifted from a curiosity to a practical, daily compass—starting with a single card and an unexpected visit from a crow. That moment of resonance turned skepticism into a simple ritual that invites honest reflection, sharper decisions, and a sense of being supported, even on the hard days.
I walk through the full arc: a grandmother who read tarot, the early doubts that kept me at arm’s length, and the first time a deck mirrored my life so precisely it stopped me in my tracks. From there, I share the habits that stuck—pulling one card each morning, reading the guidebook slowly, and translating symbolism into actions you can take today. We also explore how a three-card past-present-future spread can frame complex questions without pretending to predict your fate, and how those same spreads have become powerful in coaching sessions by surfacing what clients already know but haven’t named.
You’ll hear how this practice moved into my home as a shared ritual with my husband, turning quick check-ins into meaningful conversations about values, fears, and next steps. We talk about the stigma around “woo,” why belief systems matter less than openness, and how to keep the power with you—the querent—so you leave feeling clear, grounded, and ready to act. If you’ve been curious about oracle cards or craving a structure to hear yourself more honestly, this conversation offers both a starting kit and encouragement to trust your own resonance.
If this spoke to you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs clarity today, and leave a review so others can find their way here. And if you’re ready to experience a guided reading, book a session at amandaparker.co/oracle-reading.
Key Takeaways
Oracle cards are tools for self-reflection, not fortune-telling - They help you notice patterns and truths beneath the surface that you might otherwise miss.
You don't need specific beliefs to benefit - Being open-minded matters more than what spiritual system you subscribe to.
A daily card practice can be transformative - Simply pulling a card each morning and asking "What do I need to know today?" creates space for meaningful reflection.
You validate the wisdom you receive - Oracle readings reveal what you already know deep down but haven't been listening to.
Let go of perfectionism - There's no "right" way to work with cards. Trust your intuition and release the fear of getting it wrong.
What We Talked About
Amanda's skeptical beginnings with her grandmother's tarot readings and why she didn't trust them as a child
The pivotal moment in 2019-2020 when her Reiki teacher pulled a crow card that perfectly mirrored Amanda's real-life experience
How Amanda befriended a family of crows in Berlin during COVID and what they taught her
Getting her first Oracle deck (Mystical Shaman Oracle) and starting a daily card-pulling practice
Offering her first Oracle readings in 2020 and the positive feedback that confirmed her abilities
Why Amanda stopped offering readings due to insecurity and fear of "getting it wrong"
Using Oracle cards as a morning practice with her husband to deepen their connection and conversations
Incorporating cards into coaching sessions and witnessing how they always mirrored client conversations
Reopening her Oracle reading practice and conducting 40 readings between November and January
The consistent feedback that people discover they already knew the answers they were seeking
Guest Quotes
"The cards just gave me a way to go into a deeper reflection about things that were happening in my world that I might not have really noticed or been able to see without them. So they just opened up almost like a portal of information."
"The more that I lean into it, the more that I go deeper on my own spiritual journey, the more I connect with the cards and other ways that I actually have of going deeper into my spiritual life, the more I am completely confirmed that I am definitely being supported by non-human entities."
"If you're open-minded to the information that's going to come through, to the wisdom that wants to reach you, if you really allow yourself to receive whatever messages are coming your way through the cards or through that person who you're connecting with, it doesn't matter what you believe, you will always be the ultimate decider."
"Nine times out of 10, people walk away from these sessions recognizing that they already knew the answer. They already knew the truth. They just hadn't been listening or hadn't really allowed themselves to believe it."
"An oracle reading is just an opportunity to really get in touch with yourself, to find out what some of those deeper threads might be that are beneath the surface that are harder for you to actually see and observe in your day-to-day life."
Resources to Learn More
Mystical Shaman Oracle deck by Alberto Villoldo, Colette Baron-Reid, and Marcela Lobos (Amanda's first and favorite deck)
Oracle Reading with Amanda - www.amandaparker.co/oracle-reading
Terms & Tools to Dig Deeper
Ancestors - Spiritual guides or deceased family members and lineage who are believed to offer wisdom, protection, and guidance from the spiritual realm. Often invoked or acknowledged in oracle readings and spiritual practices.
Astrology - The study of celestial bodies' positions and movements and their influence on human affairs and natural phenomena. Amanda's grandmother practiced astrology alongside tarot reading.
Channeling - The practice of receiving intuitive messages, wisdom, or guidance from spiritual sources or higher consciousness, often used in conjunction with tools like Oracle cards or in coaching sessions.
Coaching - A collaborative process where a trained practitioner helps clients gain clarity, set goals, and take action in their lives. Amanda integrates oracle cards into her coaching sessions to deepen insight.
COVID/Pandemic - The global COVID-19 pandemic (2020) that significantly impacted Amanda's spiritual journey, providing the circumstance for her connection with crows and deepened card practice during lockdown.
Crow Medicine/Crow Wisdom - In various spiritual traditions, crows represent transformation, magic, mystery, intelligence, and the ability to see beyond illusions. They're considered messengers between worlds.
Guidebook - The accompanying booklet or book that comes with oracle or tarot decks, explaining each card's meaning, symbolism, and potential interpretations.
Intuition/Intuitive Abilities - The capacity to understand or know something without conscious reasoning; inner knowing. Essential for interpreting oracle cards beyond their written meanings.
Oracle Cards - A deck of cards used for divination, spiritual guidance, and self-reflection. Unlike tarot (which has a fixed 78-card structure), Oracle decks vary in number of cards and themes, offering messages and insights to support personal growth and decision-making.
Oracle Reading - A session where a practitioner uses Oracle cards to provide insight, clarity, and guidance on life situations, challenges, or questions. The reading typically involves pulling cards and interpreting their messages in relation to the querent's specific circumstances.
Past-Present-Future Spread - A three-card reading layout where the first card represents past influences, the second shows current circumstances, and the third indicates future potential or direction.
Querent - The person receiving an oracle or tarot reading; the one asking the question or seeking guidance.
Reiki - A Japanese energy healing technique where practitioners channel universal life force energy to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing and balance.
Spiritual Journey - The personal process of seeking deeper meaning, connection, and understanding beyond the material world; exploring one's relationship with the divine, universe, or higher consciousness.
Tarot - A traditional 78-card deck used for divination and spiritual guidance, consisting of the Major Arcana (22 cards) and Minor Arcana (56 cards), with a structured system of interpretation.
Universal Loving Spirit - The concept of a benevolent, non-denominational divine presence or energy that supports and guides without attachment to specific religious doctrine.
Woo-woo - Colloquial term (sometimes used dismissively) for spiritual, mystical, or New Age practices that may seem unconventional or unsupported by mainstream science.
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Episode Transcript
Amanda Parker: 00:00
So I bought myself that deck of cards and I really had no idea what I was doing. But I would just start pulling a card every single day and asking myself or asking the deck, you know, what do I need to know today? This was a life-changing practice. Of course, I didn't know that at the time, but the cards just gave me a way to go into a deeper reflection about things that were happening in my world that I might not have really noticed or been able to see without them. Welcome to Don't Step on the Bluebells, the podcast for personal healing and transformation takes center stage. I'm your host, Amanda Parker, and I'm a fellow seeker on the journey of personal growth. Join me as I delve into the stories of gifted healers, guides, and everyday people who have experienced remarkable transformations. Listen in as they share their practical wisdom to enrich your everyday life. And don't forget to hit subscribe and never miss a new episode.
Amanda Parker: 01:02
Hello and welcome to today's episode of Don't Step on the Bluebells. I'm
Amanda Parker: 01:07
your host, Amanda Parker, and today we're going to be talking about Oracle readings. This is a topic that's coming up a lot for me recently, ever since I started offering Oracle Reading sessions at the end of last year. So I wanted to take some time just to answer questions about what exactly is an oracle reading and why it might be something that's supportive for you in your life or wherever you might be. So I will start by telling you that my grandmother was a tarot reader. She was an astrologer and she read cards. And honestly, when I was a kid, I didn't used to trust her readings. I used to think she had an agenda and she would just tell me whatever it was that I wanted to hear. You know, I can give the example of when I was younger and about to go to summer camp, and the tarot card shockingly told me that I was going to meet a boy at summer camp. So ever since that moment, I must have been like 10 or 11. I didn't really trust that the wisdom that was coming through was something that you could really rely on. And of course, I got a good understanding that it depended who it was coming from. So what was the source of that wisdom that was coming through? The point for me is that I was super skeptical about, first of all, all of this spiritual stuff. So everything that felt a bit too woo-woo or off the spectrum for me, I was really not interested. And I really didn't know if it was something that I could trust that someone would really be able to give me guidance, or a deck of cards, no less, would be able to give me guidance that would support me in my life.
Amanda Parker: 02:45
So something really shifted for me. It was probably around 2019, 2020. I was working with my Reiki teacher, and she had a lot of decks of cards, which to be honest, I never really noticed in the first one or two times that I was there. But on this one occasion, she was pulling cards for me. There were a lot of messages that had come through in a Reiki session that she had given me, and as I was learning to develop my skills, and she pulled a number of cards to help me to find out what the wisdom was beneath some of those messages. And I remember just being floored in that moment because I had never even thought of Oracle cards. I didn't really know what they were. And one of the cards that she had pulled was very resonant because it was a card about crows and the wisdom of crows. And at that point, especially during 2020, during the COVID years, I had come to befriend a family of crows in Berlin. And they would come to my balcony every single day. And my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, we would just feed them nuts and engage with them. We would fill a bird bath. Like it was really about two years of interaction that we had with these birds. And so this card of the crow really spoke to me and being able to get some of that wisdom and understanding of, you know, what's the spiritual meaning behind crows and what might it signify if they are entering your
Amanda Parker: 04:20
life. So as soon as I had that experience of seeing the cards and seeing how resonant their messages could be, I went out and bought myself a card deck. So the first deck that I got for myself was the Mystical Shaman Oracle deck. That was a collaboration by Alberto Violdo, Colette Baron Reed, and Marcella Lobos, if I'm getting her name correct. And I have to say that deck of cards absolutely changed my life. So, first of all, the packaging was so beautiful. Like opening it up was an experience on its own because it's such a luxury product. It felt so amazing to be in my hands. And to this day, so many years later, that deck of cards continues to be my favorite. It's the most resonant no matter what's going on in my life, no matter whether I'm experiencing, you know, joy or sorrow or whatever it might be. That deck of cards always has wisdom for me without fail. So I bought myself that deck of cards and I really had no idea what I was doing. But I would just start pulling a card every single day and asking myself or asking the deck, you know, what do I need to know today? Then I'd pull the card, I'd look at the image, I'd read what it said, and then I would reflect on how that impacted my life. This was a life-changing practice. Of course, I didn't know that at the time, but the cards just gave me a way to go into a deeper reflection about things that were happening in my world that I might not have really noticed or been able to see without them. So they just opened up almost like a portal
Amanda Parker: 06:05
of information, and I could decide just to reflect and think about what does that mean for me? What does that mean for my life? How do I want to integrate this into my life? So it was about in 2020 as well that I offered my very first Oracle readings. Again, didn't really know what I was doing, but I put out a call to people I knew on Instagram just saying if anyone wanted me to pull some cards, I was testing this out, who was interested. And I had, I think, at least 10 people raise their hand and I started giving oracle readings, just using the cards, using a very simple template of three cards with past, present, future, so that whatever the question was, I could give them sort of the background information of what that topic was, what was happening in their life in this current moment, and then what was probably going to be happening in the future. So that gave me a lot of confirmation because each one of those readings, I got super positive feedback about what my interpretations had been and also what the cards themselves were saying. Now the truth is I didn't really fully trust myself yet. So I was super insecure about doing this. I wasn't sure if I could really get it right, if I was interpreting in the right way. So in my mind, there was like this right and wrong way to be doing this, which says a lot about me because that has been a big part of my journey is really unlearning that belief that there are right ways to do things and wrong ways, and that I'm gonna get it wrong unless I, you know, follow the steps I'm supposed to take. So as a native rule breaker, it's a really big uh juxtaposition in my personality. But I was too afraid to continue offering those readings because I didn't really know what territory I was entering. So I continue to use the cards on a regular basis basically every single day in my life. And of course, over the last few years, I have acquired many, many, many different kinds of decks. People have caught on. So I very often for Christmas or my birthday will get a new deck or a new tarot deck that I can work with. Um, and at some point along the way, I started pulling cards together with
Amanda Parker: 08:21
my husband. So we would have a morning practice together of each of us just pulling a card from whichever deck he liked, whatever deck I liked. And then we would read the meaning together and just talk about it. What does that mean for you? How does that fit? You know, what might you want to change in your life or what might you want to do differently based on this information? So it was really a point of being able to reflect on what was happening in each of our worlds and using the cards as that jumping off point for being able to open that conversation and also have some of those deeper discussions that you might not have otherwise, because you might not really be giving yourself the chance to go so deep into all this, you know, personal nuance when there's also, you know, groceries to be bought and dinner to be cooked and dishes to be done, et cetera. So it was also a chance for my husband and I to really be able to connect. But my connection with the cards has been growing steadily, just the more that I use them, the more that I trust them, the more that the messages continue to be absolutely relevant to whatever the situation is going on in my life. And I also use them together with my coaching
Amanda Parker: 09:37
clients. So over the last couple of years, I would pull a card in different sessions with clients, and the cards were always the perfect fit, whatever it was that we were talking about. It would always mirror back exactly what we were saying in that whole conversation. So leaving us both, of course, absolutely floored and like magnetized to these mystical beings. So now I have been working with the cards quite regularly. And at the end of last year, based on a lot of feedback that I was getting from coaching clients, where they were really asking, you know, are you sure you're not hand picking each of these cards for me? And I had to say, no, no, no, look, here's the whole deck. There's a the whole process here of how I'm picking the cards. I decided to open up that practice to a wider audience. First, offering it into my LinkedIn audience where I have the biggest following, but also advertising it on Instagram and also in my mailing list. And I would say that I did about 40 readings between November and January. So holy cow, there was so
Amanda Parker: 10:48
much more interest than I had ever anticipated there would be. And that's why I really wanted to share a bit about my own journey with Oracle cards because I think people have this stigma about anything spiritual or anything that seems fluffy or woo, like it's, you know, somehow out of reach or holier than thou or has to do with religion. And I think what we're really lacking and missing in our present times is this connection to something greater than ourselves, this belief that there might just be, you know, a universal loving spirit or entity or gods or goddesses, like whatever your belief system is, that are there to really readily support us on our path. And it was something that I had resisted for so long. But the more that I lean into it, the more that I go deeper on my own spiritual journey, the more I connect
Amanda Parker: 11:44
with the cards and other ways that I actually have of going deeper into my spiritual life, the more I am completely confirmed that I am definitely being supported by non-human entities. There are definitely spirits or ancestors or energies on the other side that I can't always see or feel or touch or fully understand, but that I know that there are loving spirits that are there that are helping. And I think what's important is when you're having an oracle reading or any other kind of reading, it's not so important what your belief system is. It's not even so important what the belief system is of the person who's doing the reading, as long as you're actually open. If you're open-minded to the information that's going to come through, to the wisdom that wants to reach you, if you really allow yourself to receive whatever messages are coming your way through the cards or through that person who you're connecting with, it doesn't matter what you
Amanda Parker: 12:46
believe, you will always be the ultimate decider. Does this feel true and resonant for me or not? And if it does, then that is the greatest gift you could ever receive because you're able to see so clearly within yourself things that you might not have been able to really see on your own before. And if it doesn't resonate, no one has any hard feelings about this. Then you just say, okay, this isn't really my thing, doesn't work for me. Glad that I tried, moving on. An oracle reading is just an opportunity to really get in touch with yourself, to find out what some of those deeper threads might be that are beneath the surface that are harder for you to actually see and observe in your day-to-day life. It's a chance to find more insight and wisdom into yourself. The way that I do oracle readings, it's always a conversation. So I'm asking you what's going on in your life right now, what are some of the key themes or challenges that you might be facing, and asking you to take that deeper look at what's actually happening in your world, and then we explore that together. So through a combination of using the Oracle cards that I absolutely love
Amanda Parker: 14:02
working with, and also just some of the channeling and coaching abilities that I have also honed over many, many years. We're getting to the root cause of what is actually going on for you beneath the surface and bringing that up. And nine times out of 10, people walk away from these sessions recognizing that they already knew the answer. They already knew the truth. They just hadn't been listening or hadn't really allowed themselves to believe it. So you're walking away with honest clarity, with feeling grounded, with feeling centered, and knowing what steps you want to take moving forward from here. So it is one of the greatest gifts of the work that I do to be able to offer these oracle sessions. And the feedback that I've been receiving has been absolutely incredible. So I'm just so grateful that people are so interested and willing to be open to what wants to come through for them.
Amanda Parker: 15:03
So I am going to leave you with that wisdom, just a short episode for today, because I really wanted to share some of that love and passion and get a better understanding of what oracle readings actually are. And I would love to open that up to any of my listeners who are keen to have an oracle reading. You can go to my website www.amandaparker.co backslash oracle-reading. You can also find your way there just from the homepage, and I'll put it in the show notes here. So if you are keen and curious to have an oracle reading and really want to receive that wisdom with an open heart, then I absolutely welcome you to sign up for a session. I can't wait to support you and hope that you find your way to your own oracle cards or whatever that part of your spiritual journey might be that helps you to find that clarity and direction that you are seeking. Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode, and I can't wait to see you next time. Thanks for tuning in to today's episode of Don't Step on the Bluebells. If you enjoyed this conversation, please give the podcast a five star rating wherever you listen. And don't forget to hit subscribe and follow along so you never miss a new episode.