It caused a huge chasm in the spiritual community when Doreen Virtue denounced all her previous work with angels and spirituality in 2017 and converted to Fundamental Christianity. As someone who is new to the tarot, oracle, psychic community, I’ve heard many others discuss Doreen and her transformation.
After much consideration, I decided that I was still called to many of her cards. Keep reading to discover why I’m still using Doreen Virtue oracle cards as a beginner!
Doreen Virtue Angel Cards
These Archangel Oracle Cards are just one of many different oracle cards which Doreen Virtue collaborated on. This is the first deck that I decided to go with, and it is my first deck of oracle cards.
I chose these because of my new connection to angels (which I had never been close to before) and the messages on the cards really resonated with me.
RELATED POST: The Best Oracle Decks for Beginners in 2023
What Happened to Doreen Virtue?
A few years ago, Doreen Virtue denounced tarot, oracle cards, and spirituality in favor of fundamental Christianity. If you go to her site today (I’m not going to link to it, so please google it if you’d like to visit), you can read lists of all the things she believes are linked to the Devil, including angels, crystals, OM, and even yoga. (Insert eye-roll here.)
To my understanding, she was always a Christian, and before converting to Fundamental Christianity, she used Christian lore and stories and Christ-consciousness in her decks and writings.
I personally agree with Amanda Ellis’ assessment of this situation: Doreen is free to believe what she wants, but it’s very sad that she’s denouncing and invalidating her former friends and anyone else who doesn’t agree with her new beliefs.
In her book, Deceived No More, she details about how and why she made the move to Fundamental Christianity, but there are many suspicious details and many have accused her of just doing it for the publicity. (Just for kicks, check out her book on Amazon if you haven’t already… it’s a trip!)
Truly following Christ means acceptance of those who are different than you are, so this does not feel like true Christianity to me. Her new mindset feels also racially prejudiced, as she is trying to cancel out the religions of non-Christian areas of the world. These cultural practices are absolutely valid!
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Doreen Virtue Cards 2023
Doreen had worked as a New Age author for many years before transitioning. Here are a few of her oracle cards:
Aside from the Archangel deck, I’m particularly drawn to the Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards!
Where to Find Them
Deciding to use Doreen Virtue cards in 2022 doesn’t mean they’re going to be easy to find. As soon as her conversion, Doreen pulled all of her cards and other “New Age” publications from print.
Some of them have a few left from their last printing and you can buy them new. They are significantly more expensive because they’re so rare.
Others are all out of new versions and you would be buying a used copy. Of course, this is less desirable because you don’t know what kind of energy the person had when they used them previously. It’s definitely a risk, but if you get a deck used with love, there are plenty of ways to cleanse decks (preferably for days or weeks) before using them.
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5 Reasons I’m Still Using Doreen Virtue Oracle Cards as a Beginner in 2022
1. Her Cards are full of love and light
Before she closed her mind to other religions and ways to connect with God/Universe/Spirit/Source, her beliefs were full of validation and love.
For example, the Sensitivity card in the Archangel deck says, “You are extra sensitive to energies and emotions right now. Honor yourself and your feelings.”
As someone who did not receive a lot of validation as a child, this feels very safe and comforting to me.
2. They’re designed well and easy to use
One reason I’m choosing to use Doreen Virtue cards is simply because they’re designed well and very easy to use and understand.
For the Archangel cards, they have a key idea and a short description on the card. You don’t even have to read the booklet unless you want to! You can get a good interpretation for your own life just based on the card.
Sure, in the Archangel deck, there isn’t a great deal of diversity, which is important to me. But I try to balance it by purchasing decks that exclusively feature non-white and ethnically diverse artwork, like this deck of affirmation cards which is one of my favorites.
RELATED POST: 20 Affirmation Card Decks for Your Highest Self
3. Her current beliefs don’t influence the love they were created with
Using Doreen Virtue oracle cards doesn’t have anything to do with her current belief system. When she created them, she did so out of love.
I almost think of Doreen before her conversion and after her conversion as two different people. Not everyone is going to have the same beliefs as another person. Just because one person thinks angel and yoga are the work of the devil doesn’t mean that everyone does.
It’s a matter of what hurts others or what doesn’t, and what jives with your own personal truth.
4. She said not to use them
If you look at any Amazon page on one of Doreen’s old “New Age” items, the very first line on her biography reads:
“PLEASE NOTE: DOREEN IS NOT SELLING NEW AGE PRODUCTS! OTHER PEOPLE ARE SELLING THEM ON AMAZON, AGAINST DOREEN’S CLEAR REQUESTS TO STOP SELLING HER CARDS. PLEASE DON’T BUY DOREEN’S CARDS OR NEW AGE BOOKS!“
Let’s be honest… I have a little bit of rebel in me. When someone tells me not to do something, I’m a little curious to do it anyway and find out for myself.
As an INFJ, I am someone who relies heavily on my own experience and intuition to serve as my guide in my life and give me direction. How can I determine whether or not I should do something unless I’ve tried it myself?
Curiosity is a prized trait, as it can help lead a person to new things, creativity, and innovation!
Just because Doreen’s truth has changed doesn’t mean that her previous truth can’t help me discover mine.
5. Many transgender people still love Harry Potter
While this isn’t exactly the same scenario, there are many similarities here, so go with me for a moment.
Harry Potter was a series of books full of love and magic and wonder that has inspired and given so many people reason to keep going when things got tough. But when JK Rowling started her rants against the trans community, many people left the Harry Potter fandom because of the toxicity of the author.
Still, many others chose to reclaim the novels, saying that once published, Harry Potter belonged to the fans. Her current words and prejudices cannot poison the magic of the books.
I feel this situation is similar. Doreen’s new prejudices cannot poison the love with which she created her “New Age” products.
Conclusion
This is a tricky situation and everyone can come to a different conclusion. If you denounced all of Doreen’s work after she converted, that’s completely valid too! Everyone is going to have a different reaction to a situation like this.
The reasons I outlined above are my own personal reasons for using Doreen Virtue’s oracle cards 5 years after her transition.
What do you think?
Are you still using Doreen’s cards and other spiritual books and resources?
Drop me a comment below!
More Tarot and Oracle Deck Reviews Here:
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Spiritsong Tarot Deck Review
Wild Kuan Yin Oracle Deck
Wild Woman Oracle Deck Review
Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Oracle Deck Review
Mack
Sunday 18th of February 2024
I've already destroyed my old sets, but only recently discovered Doreen herself renounces and regrets making them and instructed others to destroy them. The "New Age" movement is just the old pagan ways with nre wrapping paper that angels fought and still fight against.
Dawn Elizabeth
Sunday 18th of February 2024
Excellent! Glad to hear this is a resurgence of paganism!
Kethy
Sunday 21st of May 2023
Hi I work with her cards and have study all her courses I also have sealed cards by Doreen Virtue Original for sale and opened unused cards We are many who love her energi of the cards, Doreen Virtue is the truly Angel cards mother who started all up with the angels and talked and write about it ,
Radleigh
Monday 8th of May 2023
Hi Dawn,
I enjoyed reading this post and agree with most of what you say.
I'm a student of Doreen, and still in contact with her family. Charles continues to teach his version of Doreen's famous Angel Therapy Practitioner class.
You're right in choosing to work with the deck that you feel drawn to. Try to see past skin color, and don't let the fact that Doreen is no longer writing or using cards stop you from using, reading or watching her material if it resonates.
Doreen was a force of nature, writing over 70 books and creating 35 card decks listed below in order of publication:
(1999) Healing with the Angels Oracle Cards (2001) Healing with the Fairies Oracle Cards (2002) Messages from Your Angels Oracle Cards (2003) Magical Mermaids and Dolphins Oracle Cards (2004) Archangel Oracle Cards (2004) Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards (2005) Magical Unicorns Oracle Cards (2005) Saints & Angels Oracle Cards (2006) Daily Guidance from Your Angels Oracle Cards (2007) Ascended Masters Oracle Cards (2008) Magical Messages from the Fairies Oracle Cards (2008) Angel Therapy® Oracle Cards (2009) Archangel Michael Oracle Cards (2010) Archangel Raphael Healing Oracle Cards (2011) Life Purpose Oracle Cards (2012) The Romance Angels Oracle Cards (2012) Angel Tarot Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2012) Mary, Queen of Angels Oracle Cards (2013) Angel Dreams Oracle Cards (with Melissa Virtue) (2013) Indigo Angel Oracle Cards (with Charles Virtue) (2013) Flower Therapy Oracle Cards (with Robert Reeves) (2013) Archangel Power Tarot Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2013) Talking to Heaven Mediumship Cards (with James Van Praagh) (2014) Cherub Angel Cards for Children (2014) Guardian Angel Tarot Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2014) Past Life Oracle Cards (with Brian L. Weiss) (2014) Angel Answers Oracle Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2015) Fairy Tarot Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2015) Archangel Gabriel Oracle Cards (2016) Loving Words from Jesus Cards (2016) Butterfly Oracle Cards for Life Changes (2017) Angels of Abundance Oracle Cards (with Grant Virtue) (2017) Animal Tarot Cards (with Radleigh Valentine) (2017) Crystal Angels Oracle Cards (2018) Love & Light Divine Guidance Cards
I have my favorites, it's up to you to find yours!
I have a small collection of Doreen Virtue ebooks, courses etc, if you're interested in sharing you can contact me at 'radleigh.6m5tj@aleeas.com'.
In truth, love and light,
Radleigh
PS There's no such thing as a 'transgender' person. 'Trans' means from one to the other, as in transatlantic or a financial transaction, where money is transferred from one person to another, and you can't go from being one gender to being the other!
There are however, mentally ill men who enjoy exposing their penises to young girls in women's locker rooms, sexually assaulting women in women's bathrooms, and beating women in women's sports (sometimes quite literally like the man who entered the women's MMA, and gave a woman such a beating that she ended up with a fractured skull).
JK Rowling is one of the few people with the courage to stand up for women's rights while they're unfortunately being trampled by toxic 'transgender' activists.
Dawn Elizabeth
Tuesday 9th of May 2023
Hi Radleigh,
Her contributions were truly mind blowing. Because most of her books have been taken down, I had no idea that her publications list looked like this. Truly an amazing woman! (And still is, though I can only think of what divine wisdom she would be giving us if she had continued to work in this field.)
I'll agree to respectfully disagree with you about people who are transgender ;)
Thanks for your comment! Sending light and love!
Dawn
Shannon
Monday 17th of April 2023
I actually was reading The Courage to be Creative today before selling it online, and this blog has just popped up! I have been a long term fan of Doreen up until her conversion. I couldn't bring myself to read her book until recently although I still use her cards. Surprisingly I still found this book insightful and inspiring. I think she was a lot more wise back then than she is today! It's almost laughable. Her cards still carry a magical energy, though I prefer other authors/creators like Colette Baron-Reid today.
Lisa Iris
Monday 20th of March 2023
I don't use Doreen's decks but I was one of her illustrators. My issue is that the many artists, who indeed made her decks what they were, have been denounced by proxy. It's a form of being erased, especially when there's a video of cards you helped illustrate ending up on a bonfire, or an "X" drawn across a book cover. It's absolutely chilling, from the perspective of intolerance and censorship. So I'm very happy that you still use her cards because you're exercising your freedom of thought and choice, while keeping valuable imagery alive. Best Wishes!
Hope Suzanne
Monday 19th of June 2023
@Lisa Iris, I was one of her students. In 2006 I took her Angel Therapy Practitioner course and I took her mediumship course as well among other things. I was at a few of her events and did readings for audience members. Back then she always promoted her ATP’s and her other certified students and had us help her with her book signings etc. I still use her oracle card decks sometimes when I feel called to do so. I have my favorites. I use them less frequently than my other decks but I kind of rotate which decks I use. I pray Doreen remembers the love she used to have for all people and for the angels, and that she remembers who she truly is. She didn’t used to come from a place of fear.. only from a place of love and connection. I will always be grateful for what she taught me and for the confidence she imbued on us. I met a very good friend at her ATP course. Her courses were quite the experiences! The artwork on her decks is beautiful! I’m sorry you were treated that way, but know there are many of us who still love and use her old decks. Your and her other previous artists artwork will always be appreciated and loved. 😇💗
Sarah Healy
Wednesday 24th of May 2023
@Lisa Iris, I still use Doreen Virtue's angel cards. I have about 17 decks of hers and have no intention of giving them up as they are very precious to me. I was shocked to hear that she no longer wants anything to do with angels anymore etc. Can I also say how much I love and admire your artwork? I have an app on my smartphone by Indie Goes Software and all of the virtual cards are your illustrations and paintings. They are just awesome. I'm a massive fan of your work.
Dawn Elizabeth
Friday 24th of March 2023
Oh wow. This is something I hadn't even thought of. I'm so sorry that's happening to you--it IS chilling.
I've started making a point of including the artists names on the more recent decks that I've been reviewing, but I've noticed that a lot of decks (especially older decks) don't even include the artists names! I either had to scour the booklet for the tiny print in the very back that mentions the artist once, or in some cases I had to look it up on the internet because it wasn't even listed! Especially with AI and all its legal concerns we need to be raising these issues about artists receiving the credit that they deserve.
Wow. Thank you for sharing this with me! It's eye-opening!