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.
CJ and Ana at the opening for “The Playing Card Oracles,” in Boulder, CO.
Their current publications include:
- “The Doors of Somlipith,” Book and Card Set, published by Schiffer Red Feather, March 2023.
- “The Playing Card Oracles, A Source Book for Divination,” published by Two Sisters Press.
- “The Playing Card Oracles Deck,” published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- “Oracle Alchemy, The Art of Transformation in Life and in Card Reading,” published by Two Sisters Press.
- The “Picture Book of Fate and Fortune,” Oracle Playing Cards by CJ Freeman, published by Two Sisters Press.
- Other books and products found in the online store.
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
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.
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/
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.
Feature Post at Bohemianizm: http://www.bohemianizm.com/art-from-ana-cortez-anacortez/
