The Mercury Oracle - The Original Expandable Oracle
Created by Lewis Neeff
An 88 card Oracle system, of strange techniques, odd dimensions, and practical wisdom for making a map through shifting realities.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Mercury Oracle - GOING TO THE PRINT!
over 1 year ago
– Sat, Oct 07, 2023 at 10:29:43 AM
Hey Everyone,
It's all going to print! This is the last chance to unlock your order and add any expansions or swag.
Please send me a DM if you would like to add anything to your order!
I can't believe it's time to go to print! Here is what the factory is producing:
- 88 page deck
- 130 Page book
- Updated Box
- 80 new pages of an expandable book
- 63 NewI Illustrations -Animal Expansion Guide - 12 cards
-Esp Expansion Guide - 5 cards
-Love And Romance Expansion - 8 cards
-Spirits and Ancestors Expansion -8 cards
-The Yantras Expansion - 5 pages
-The Zodiac Expansion - 12 pages
-The Zener Cards - 5 Cards
-The Sun and the Moon Alternate cards (for everyone who ordered all expansions)- 2 Cards
Thank you all for helping make this dream come true!
NEEFF
Yantras
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Oct 02, 2023 at 10:08:09 PM
Hello all!
As always you are more than welcome to jump ahead to the parts of the post that interest you most!
A. PRINTINGSCHEDULE
B.UNLOCKING BACKERKIT
C. WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE YANTRAS
D. THE YANTRAS AND THE ACCOMPANYING WRITINGS
A. PRINTING SCHEDULE
As of right now absolutely everything is drawn AND written and in the works, which means all i need to do is send off the expansion pages to be formatted and then send it off to print! China is on a holiday until the 6th but I will get everything sent to them the next few days. It will be waiting for them when the get back to go to print. I'll be expecting a proof before they print everything, but woooo it's a big complicated order. Thanks for sticking with me through this process! WE ARE SO CLOSE I CAN TASTE IT.
B.Orders
I've had an influx of requests to expand orders! Please send me a message if you would like to add to your order and I'll unlock your backerkit!
C. Yantra? I barely knew her!
When it was suggested that I draw the yantra's I didn't understand that they are almost a counterpart to the spirits and ancestors Expansion. (Thanks for the encouragement friends!) In fact It took me a few days to really understand the Yantras having very little knowledge of the Hindu tradition. But when it clicked it really clicked. The long and short of it: the Yantras are powerful seals for calling up dieties and demons. I am a huge advocate for working with the Spirit world and getting to know the Yantras through this process makes me want to call upon an 8 armed Goddess riding a tiger and brandishing every weapon in the armory.
I chose the Yantra's that I chose so that it would enhance the existing deck. I did not include any yantra that perhaps would collide with any other part of the deck, the planetary yantras for instance since Jupiter already has it's own card. I chose them to be a balanced system, somewhat intuitively.
I want this post to be educational for everyone so I wanted to share what is going in to the book, unformatted and not yet edited but It will give you a taste and perhaps encourage you to try it for yourself! I did the work so you don't have to! (Also please note, these images are not yet color and texture processed)
D. THE CARDS AND ACCOMPANYING PAGES
INTRO: Yantra+Mantra=Tantra
Kali's recites a mantra (I didn't draw this and it is not part of the book but it's dope so gaze upon her dark glory)
Much of magick is getting the attention of the spirit world.
A yantra is a container for the energies of a Diety. These are tools much like the angelic seals or demon seals. In fact the word Yantra literally means “contraption.” These diagrams come from the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. The Yantra’s contained within are objects of worship and contemplation. They are meant to bring wealth and fortune to your life.
Yantra’s are a visual. Mantras are a sound. When paired together they create Tantra, which means “to weave.” Quite literally the Yantras will weave their energies into your life when properly meditated upon by drawing or gazing upon the yantra while to weave a new reality by attracting wealth, prosperity, abundance, well-being, and good luck.
Yantra+Mantra=Tantra
The Anatomy of a Yantra
I absolutely love instructive art like this gem. Westerners have lost a sense of what art can do. Download it from the internet? No thanks, I'll download it straight into my brain)
COLORS
Every color in a yantra is entirely symbolic and purposeful -White represents purity -Red represents rajas or the activating quality -Black represents tamas or the quality of inertia
BINDU
The middle of every Yantra has a bindu or a point which represents the deity associate with the Yantra. It represents the point from which all of creation emanates. The geometries around the Bindu, such as triangles represent those entities that surround the diety.
TRIANGLES
Downward-pointing triangles represent the feminine aspect of God (Shakti) while upward-pointing triangles represent God's masculine aspect (Shiva).
HEXAGRAM
Two equilateral triangles intertwined create a hexagram. This represents the union of male and female aspects of divinity, or Shiva and Shakti.
LOTUS
The lotus that is present in these yantras represent purity and transcendence. Eight-petaled lotuses are the most common, but lotuses in yantras can include up to 1000 or more petals.
CIRCLE
Many mandalas are made with three concentric circles in the center. This represents manifestation.
OUTER SQUARE
The nested squares represents the earth and the four cardinal directions.
The Sri Yantra represents the seat of the Goddess in all her forms. It visually depicts the underlying organizational structure of the cosmos, the human body, and the goddesses in the universe. Sri means “holy” and the Sri Yantra is the holiest of all the Yantras. It is the pinnacle of of the knowledge of study and worship (Sri Vidya)
The Mantras’s seed sound “Shreem” activates the energy in the Pelvis and then spreads into the rest of the body. it consists of the nine intersecting triangles or circuits that represent the 7 chakras. The 2 additional triangles represent the feet and thighs. The 9th circuit is the Bindu, in this case representing where your soul dwells. In your own body, The Sri Yantra Bindu is located at the crown of your head.
The focus of this Yantra is on the Divine Feminine, this Yantra is best used to reveal and integrate seemingly unconnected parts of life and inner self. It is for over-all well being and attracts wealth in all aspects of life
Lakshmi Yantra
Abundance
Mantra
“Om Hreem Shreem Lakshmibhayo Namah”
The Goddess Lakshmi sits peacefully in the center of a lotus flower. She smiles, adorned in red gowns and jewels, two of her four hands make the mudras of blessing and protection, the other two hold lotus flowers, gold coins pour from her palms.
Lakshmi is the deity of abundance. We can see how she plays out in our life by where we place our focus and intent. Lakshmi has infinite abundance, but does not give with no purpose. She asks us to tend diligently to our work, our loved ones, our gardens. She gives to those who have a generous and bountiful heart. Wanting from a place of lack is not attractive to Lakshmi.
Meditate on this Yantra with fullness and appreciation for what you have to increase what you have. She brings prosperity in the form of income, new oppurtunities, fame, and growth of business.
Kali appears with dark black skin, she stands naked wearing only a necklace of severed heads and a skirt of arms. She brandishes bloodied weapons and fangs, her tongue is long and curly. She is death, she is time, and she is space.
Kali is a Divine Mother that removes the illusion of limitation and connects you with your limitless potential. Although an imposing figure, she swallows up your impurities and confusions. She lays the anxieites of the future and the sorrows of the past to rest to initaite you into your spiritual journey now.
Meditate on this Yantra with the intent of letting go any illusions you may have. If you are feeling blocked, or stifled, the Kali Yantra will gain the attention of her dark divine blessing and connect you with your own inner power.
The red Goddess Chinnamasta holds her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in the other. Blood streams from her neck, feeding her own mouth and the mouth of two others. Naked she stands on a copulating couple.
Although she is fierce at first appearance, when worshipped she acts gently. While Kali brandishes the heads of others, Chinnamasta offers her own head. Chinnamasta assists us in getting out of our own head. Her blood generously nourishes herself and her attendants. The streams represent the three main energy channels, or nadis, that run through the body and supply prana.
Meditate on this Yantra to call in Chhinnamasta with the intent of moving beyond your conditioned self and into a place of freedom and understanding. She evokes a fearlessness and awakens the warrior within you and grants you power to overcome anything that has left you standing in the dark. She is a bringer of a light.
Durga Yantra
Protection
Mantra
“Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche”
A beautiful woman riding a Tiger and carries a weapon in each of her 8 arms. She warmly smiles. She is Durga, the Goddess of Protection! She is the Mother, protecting us from danger. In a time of great darkness Durga restored light to the Universe with love for all beings.
Durga appears at times of distress, when we need protecting the most. She brings to us strength to slay demonic forces that threaten our peace and prosperity. She is a wealth of love and having her Yantra with you will recharge your life force.
Meditate upon Durga’s Yantra while reciting the Mantra to catch Durga’s attention. She will bring you, protection and justice.
HAPPY SUMMONING!
NEEFF
Spirits and Ancestors
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 01:22:12 PM
I've noticed that most spirit traditions treat the process like a bank teller window. You drive up, get what you need and then leave. This is not the correct approach. Now more than ever, to be in correct relation with the spirit world, we must befriend and cultivate depth through consistent interaction and action. It can be a a trade, and often is, but strength and flourishing exists within the context of cultivation.
That said, ALWAYS ALWAYS build a bridge for your ancestors and sit in right relation with those you came from before you contact Dukes and Earls of the underworld.
So without any further ado, the spirit cards. The cornerstones of right relation with the dead.
The ebst way to befriend anything is by breaking bread (and sometimes having a drink)
Idle hands are the devil's playground. Demons enjoy being put to work, they exist out of time you know!
Gratitude (and food) is the cornerstone of any healthy relationship.
Don't fuck around and find out too much. Protect your neck.
New moons and Lunar Mansions are your map.
Some spirits are great at playing pretend. Some are just plain bored. Most view the human world with a sort ambivalence.
The purpose of magic is to teach us to cultivate an impeccable inner world. Spirits experience our inner reality fully. Be nice to the spirits. Be impeccable.
I think they turned out fantastic. These will be useful in the context of the other cards! Happy Spiriting!
Love,
NEEFF
Hippy Modernism and the Romance Cards
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Sep 20, 2023 at 10:28:20 AM
Love is in the air!
How do you break down love and romance into it's most basic parts? I always come back to something that I heard about love making. It's a push-pull. ; ) Attraction and repulsion centered around something unexplainable.
While the deck as a whole consists of my own version of the lovechild of the 60's and the 20's, these cares were definitely more informed by the hippy modernerism of the 60's. What better to reflect love and peace than a little flower power era inspiration.
As always I wanted to ensure that the cards put into the expansion will work with the core deck and beyond the context of romance if not through the directives on the cards.. I appreciated your input to make something with a little more universality to it. I experimented quite a lot and threw out a few directions. Some of my designs even looked a little more cold at first (I'll post one at the bottom). They had merit and I may introduce them back in later as alternatives. After all, what is love and romance without a little steam. <3
I think I struck a nice balance with these ones.
They make me happy! I hope they inspire something saucy within you too.
To show part of the process here are some cards that didn't survive for one reason or another:
This one feels like a communist tank is going to roll in. A real red flag scenario.
The wording and the lack of weight within the imagery got this one axed. I alos didn't want to feature anything in a circle like I did the animal pack.
I'm writing like crazy and making quick progress.
Thanks Everyone. More cards tomorrow.
NEEFF
BIG OL' UPDATE #2: Animal Reveal + Expanding Books + All of the expansion drawings finalized.
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Sep 18, 2023 at 12:39:34 PM
Good news! All of the expansions have been drawn! And in other good news, I had orignally said that the Animal pack will contain 10 cards, but I drew 12 instead!
I made a list of all of the animals you suggested, noted doubles and triples, read about all of them and then tried to make a balanced system. It has to work as you know. Through your suggestions I decided to try to make something with a balance of Earth, Air, and Water, and intermediaries!
I took more time in drawing these, away from the minimalist drawings of before because I wanted to capture the spirit of each of the animals. I'd love to hear if you know of any hidden meanings behind these animals!
I'm in the process of writing and formatting the 56 pages that accompany the illustrations over this next week or so and as a special surprise I'm trying to work out a special system to make an expandable book with the magic of plastic spiral binding rings! So in the spirit of animal #12 let's have some fun with the captions shall we!
So without any further ado and in no particular order (with the exception of #1 and #2, the Animals!
12. COYOTE
I was drawing a fox, and while I was adding all of the details that make a fox a fox (the details are the arduous part of the drawing) my computer refused to save the file. Genuinely miffed, I decided to take a stroll and a stretch to the artist hunch out of my back. Upon exiting my house I found a coyote sitting in my walkway staring me down. Smiling, he said to me "This is my neighborhood, bub." We walked (at a distance) for a few blocks. I returned home, reshaped his snout, eyes, tail, a tail and drew Mr. Coyote instead. Funny Funny, Mr Coyote.
11. BROWN BEAR
Brother Bear. Kind of a a goofy animal, I've lived around bears and often had to scare them off as they ripped the sides off of the shed around house. Cant open the door? Rip it off! One of the Professional Wrestlers of the animal Kingdom.
10. ORB WEAVER
One summer I couldn't stop walking my face through giant spider webs and after about the 9th web in my mouth I understood that they build their home in such a magical way that dinner delivers itself.
9. DRAGONFLY
The most effective hunter in the animal kingdom! (Often seen making love in public.)
8. SEA NETTLE JELLYFISH
What the heck are they? The only animal in the animal kingdom with a myth that encourages people to pee where they sting you! (Please don't pee on jellyfish stings, it doesn't work)
7.Luna Moth
The moth was a popular ask! Some of you may know the story behind this image! While working on the Kickstarter Campaign a cocoon attached itself to the door jamb of my bedroom door (i had a door to the courtyard, yay!). It hatched the day we succeeded in funding the campaign.
6.BLACK MAMBA
Black Mamba, a deadly snake, also a Tarantino Assassin. This guy is a baby, which is why he can wrap himself around an apple.
5.WHITE STAG
The elusive patronus charm ^__^
4. OCTOPUS
The common octopus, or simply Octopus (aka a legless Mindflayer for you dnd nerds) can change colors and look like anything it wants. Somewhere between a jellyfish, a chameleon and a mop.
3.THE AMERICAN CROCODILE
The American Crocodile! Just like eating a twizzlers, he tells us to CHOMP AND TWIST.
2. RAVEN
Omen the Raven. A lovely wizard familiar. Incredibly smart, Omen the raven came with the ability to read cards. He's off terrorizing the neighborhood this very day. This card is a depiction of the first time he felt the wind.
1.HOUSE CAT
My darling Daisy in her natural environment. May she Rest in Peace.
I'm a little biased for Ms Daisy being #1. She's just so darn cute. I couldn't draw all of the animals or else I would have had ot draw 40 animals. Please know that I heard and considered all of your suggestions. So, I plan on continuing to draw animals for a long time and I feel as though I stand at a crossroads to either continue extending the animals into a seperate expansion or create and odd Animal deck, full of strange animals. I want to draw them all!
All that's left is to write those pages! I'm also actively building a new site to host community events. Etc...
Writing updates is my daily ritual this week, so stay tuned the next few days to see the rest of the expansioncards.
AlsoSHIPPING DATES!
EVERYTHING print related will be finalized this WEEK, which is absolutely insane. The shipping date has been a moving target, but everything is looking groovy with extra things being delivered on top of what we raised fundes for. My biggest goal is to ensure I deliver something spectacular and new, and as high quality as possible. That said, with factory turn around times and being able to submit everything for print this week, should end up leaving me able to deliver in OCTOBER! Thanks all for joining me on this journey!
LOVE YOU ALL Thank you and Stay tuned!
NEEFF
PS I woke up thinkng about my trip to Colorado a few months back. It's a little delayed, but If you were at the Dairy Center show and I did not get a chance to read for you, please send me a message. I wanted to talk to everyone and was overwhelmed by the turn out. I was a bit frazzled and surprised by the amount of folks that turned out. I saw a few people leave which made me sad. I like to ensure there is something for everyone at my live event. I'm trying to get a few more in the works as well! ALSO THANK YOU FOR ANYONE WHO SHOWS UP AND HANGS OUT AND SAYS HI YOU MELT MY HEART.
