When One Deck Isn’t Enough: How I Started Using Companion Decks in My Tarot Practice

There was a time when I believed every answer I needed could be found in a single Tarot deck.

After all, each deck is a complete world—its own symbology, energy, and voice. And for a few years, I was faithful to just one deck at a time. I honored its structure. I memorized its tone. I developed a relationship with the archetypes it carried.

But eventually, something changed.

There came a reading—one I remember clearly—where the Tarot gave me the shape of the situation, but not the texture. It laid out the bones but not the breath. The cards were clear, yes... but I could feel something else hovering at the edge of the reading. A voice that hadn’t spoken yet.

So I reached for an oracle deck.

I didn’t plan it. I didn’t even have one in mind. But I remember shuffling a Goddess oracle deck I’d been gifted and pulling a single card. And it felt like someone turned on a light in the corner of the room I hadn’t noticed.

That was the moment I started using companion decks.

Why Use Companion Decks?

For me, companion decks don’t “clarify” Tarot in the traditional sense. They amplify it. They speak to the emotional frequency, the spiritual undercurrent, or the creative metaphor hiding between the lines of the spread.

Where Tarot is structured, companion decks are fluid. Where Tarot is archetypal, companions are personal. Where Tarot sets the stage, companions add color and movement. No two readings will ever be alike, regardless of who is reading the cards.

I’ve come to see it like this:

Tarot tells the story.

Companion decks provide the emotional arc within the story.

How I Pair Them

There’s no formula, but here’s how I often work with companion decks now:

• Deepened inquiry: Often I will pull additional cards from companion decks to ask the oracle to provide a deeper dive into understanding a particular card within the spread.

• Post-spread reflection: After a full Tarot spread, I’ll pull one oracle card to summarize or deepen the theme. It often speaks directly to the querent’s inner landscape or spiritual growth.

• Energetic check-ins: Before even pulling Tarot, I might pull from a companion deck to sense what energy is active. This can help frame the reading before any archetype speaks.

• Shadow and Light: Some decks I use specifically to reveal what’s in the shadows—what’s not being said, what’s being projected, or what’s ready to emerge. Others I use to affirm strength, clarity, or soul purpose. Knowing which deck carries which frequency is part of the magic.

• Dream or intuitive readings: When working with dream symbols or subtle energies, I nearly always use a companion deck. They help me speak in the language the dream already began.

Favorite Pairings

Over time, I've discovered that certain Tarot and oracle decks complement each other beautifully, each bringing its own voice to the reading. Here are some of my favorite pairings:

1. Tarot de la Nuit by Carole-Anne Eschenazi & Alexandra V. Bach

+ Elle Qui Oracle by Arwen Lynch & Mélanie Delon

This duo offers a deep dive into the divine feminine, blending the ethereal beauty of Tarot de la Nuit with the empowering messages of the Elle Qui Oracle.​

2. Universal Celtic Tarot by Floreana Nativo & Cristina Scagliotti

+ Celtic Goddesses, Witches, and Queens Oracle by Danu Forest & Dan Goodfellow

Together, these decks immerse you in Celtic mythology, providing rich narratives and archetypes that resonate with ancestral wisdom.​

3. Mystic Odyssey Tarot by Sarah Longstreth

+ Wild Mystic Oracle by Anastasia Catris

This pairing invites exploration of the mystical and the unknown, perfect for readings that seek to uncover hidden truths and spiritual journeys.​

4. Tarot of Curious Creatures by Chris-Anne

+ The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck by Kim Krans

Combining whimsical imagery with deep archetypal insights, this combination encourages introspection and personal growth.​

5. Antique Anatomy Tarot + Oracle of Oddities both by Claire Goodchild

Both created by Claire Goodchild, these decks offer a unique blend of anatomical art and botanical symbolism, ideal for exploring the connections between body and spirit.​

If you're interested in exploring these or other decks, I recommend checking out Magick.com. I am a Magick.com Affiliate.

A Practice That Keeps Evolving

Using companion decks has taught me that Tarot reading isn’t about sticking to a script. It’s about listening. Sometimes, one voice is enough. Sometimes, the wisdom comes layered—from different places, different frequencies, different decks.

Over the years, my practice has evolved in ways I never expected. I now own well over 400 Tarot and oracle decks—each one chosen for a reason, a mood, or a particular kind of conversation. I often use multiple decks in a single reading, and many of my readings don’t follow a “prescribed” spread at all. They unfold organically—guided by the energy of the question, the intuition of the moment, and the dynamic between the cards. 

Below is just one example of how I intuitively layer companion decks in a reading.

Top row: Murder of Crows Tarot; Bottom row (L-R): Earth & Bone Oracle, Wisdom of the Shadow Oracle, Call of the Morrigan Oracle

What began as a spontaneous card pull has become one of the most intimate parts of my practice. Because every companion deck I use has a personality, a purpose, and a voice that expands the conversation.

And now, I can’t imagine reading any other way.

The road ahead is unwritten, the cards unturned—until next time, walk between the worlds.

Carrie Slayton | Tarot Traveler ©2025