About Ana Cortez and CJ (Charles) Freeman

Charles J. Freeman and Ana Cortez, a father-daughter team, are the co-creators of what is known today as “The Playing Card Oracles,” and “The Doors of Somlipith,” which detail original and comprehensive methods for self-knowledge, personal transformation and prophecy using playing cards.

Through their own father-daughter connection, the lucid dreaming arts, and self discovered visionary techniques, Ana and C.J. pieced together over several decades a ground breaking and multi-dimensional method of working with cards that they believe was encoded into the original 52-card deck centuries ago.

What began as “intuitive illustrations” in the late 1970’s by C.J., who was un-instructed in any kind of art, eventually became the life’s work for both C.J. and Ana. Their discoveries went on to include: the use of the 52 cards as natural lunar and solar calendars for prophecy; the use of the binary codes in cards to act as an ancient calculator of divinatory geomancy; the living archetypes of the 4 Elements encoded into the cards, and how Fire, Air, Water and Earth give profound psychological expression to the unique numerology of the cards; as well as original methods for deciphering layouts as pictographs.

Ana Cortez and CJ Freeman pic

CJ and Ana at the opening for “The Playing Card Oracles,” in Boulder, CO.

Their current publications include:

C.J. Freeman passed away in 2010 (1941 – 2010.)

Ana carries on their work, and is today perhaps the singular leading authority on using playing cards as a means of personal alchemy and communication with the higher self.

Original art, plus cards, books and other products from C.J. and Ana can be found in Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe, NM

Contact Ana at ana@anacortez.com

Ana taming CJ’s Medusa (the 2 of Spades.) Photo credit: Tree Stoddart

 

PRESS AND PRAISE

PLAYING CARD ORACLES BOOK AND DECK

Deck, book (and other items from C.J. and Ana,) can be found in the gift shop in Meow Wolf’s  “House of Eternal Return,” Santa Fe, NM, as well as in the Meow Wolf Online Gift Shop.

Artist Feature in the February 2019 Meow Wolf Newsletter.

Reviews for Deck and Book on Amazon.com

Detailed Review of Book and Deck at Aeclectic Tarot: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/playing-card-oracles/

Ana’s Interview with Mar Rodrigues of As Above So Below Podcast: Click HERE

Ana’s Interview with Zanna Starr of Tarot Notes: Click HERE

Video Review of Book and Deck with James Feeney: https://youtu.be/-rQjh2MWTp8

Review of Book and Deck at The Tarot Guild: http://www.tarotguild.com/profiles/blogs/playing-card-oracles-by-ana-cortez-and-c-j-freeman?xg_source=activity

Ana’s Interview on “Transitions Radio” of Santa Fe, NM: part 1 – Click HERE;  part 2 – Click HERE;  part 3 – Click HERE.

Feature article at Katey Davey’s kdoutsiderart.com

Book and Cards featured at Urban Outfitters Retailer urbanoutfitters.com

“Breaking Paradigms” podcast interview with Ana Cortez: http://bootstrappedradio.net/breakingparadigms/1-ana-cortez/

Ana’s Interview with Shaheen Miro, including discussion of history and methods: ShaheenMiroInsights.com

Review of Book and Deck at World of Playing Cards UK: http://www.wopc.co.uk/usa/oracles.html

Review of Deck at Samhain Moon: http://samhainmoon.blogspot.com/2015/03/playing-card-oracles-vintage-review.html

 

DOORS OF SOMLIPITH (deck formerly published as “ALCHEMY EDITION DECK”

Original Oracle Paintings for this deck can be found in Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return (near the tunnel made of old t.v. sets) , and Oracle cards, books, posters, stickers, tee shirts, patches, and lapel pins are for sale in their gift shop.

Reviews for The Doors of Somlipith on Amazon.com

Review by World of Playing Cards UK: http://www.wopc.co.uk/reviews/alchemy-oracles.html

Review by Bonnie Cehovet: https://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/review-the-playing-card-oracles-alchemy-edition/

Witchology Magazine Featured Deck, Autumn 2023 issue. https://www.witchologymagazine.com/

Alchemy Edition Review by Zanna Starr: http://tarotnotes-majorandminor.blogspot.com/2015/03/review-playing-card-oracles-alchemy.html

Zanna Starr’s “Interview” with The Playing Card Oracles, Alchemy Edition Deck:  http://tarotnotes-majorandminor.blogspot.com/2015/03/interview-with-playing-card-oracles.html

Doors of Somlipith Review by Zanna Starr: https://tarotnotes-majorandminor.blogspot.com/2023/04/r-e-v-i-e-w-doors-of-somlipith-new.html

Feature article at Katey Davey’s kdoutsiderart.com

Review at Samhain Moon: http://samhainmoon.blogspot.com/2015/03/playing-card-oracles-alchemy-edition.html

Feature Post at Bohemianizm: http://www.bohemianizm.com/art-from-ana-cortez-anacortez/