I came to find The Moon Deck and their Indiegogo Campaign through a fellow Tarot Tribe member on Instagram and wanted to share this deck with as many people as possible.
I am so pleased to welcome the three lovely women to share their experiences and journey with creating the deck. If you like what you see, please check out their Indiegogo Campaign. The deck comes with a Guidebook and a lovely wooden box and is extremely thoughtfully created.
Can you share a little about yourselves. Where you are from, what you are passionate about and what is your profession?
We are three New York yogis passionate about helping women embrace their cyclical nature and intuitive powers.
Aarona was born in LA and has been in NYC for the last 16 years. She is passionate about and has created a career out of teaching yoga, writing, leading global adventure retreats. Aarona has a deep love for the energy and wisdom of both nature and urban settings, and divides her time between the two throughout the year.
Andi is from Indiana. She is passonate about yoga, illustration and silk painting. She is a freelance artist and mama of two.
Ashley was born by the sea among the redwoods of California, raised in the Texas Hill Country and is a diehard New Yorker of ten years. She is passionate about loving, communing with the wild, and storytelling. She is the Director of Brand Strategy for The New School (a progressive university in Manhattan).
How did this journey of creating The Moon Deck unfold?
Aarona:
The desire to create my own healing deck was born out of my life-long love of words and art; and in particular the healing insights that tarot readings and divination and affirmation decks have always helped me with on my own journey.
After years of struggle with mild depression, overthinking my way into anxiety, and being a highly sensitive gal, I’ve found that healthy and creative outlets were a life-saving and necessary tool for my personal and spiritual development. I truly don’t know where I would be without yoga, meditation, women’s circles, and my library of oracle and affirmation decks. Over the last 20-plus years, these tools have helped me become a more integrated and whole woman. In return I’ve become a teacher and guide, sharing my growth with others.
Eventually this seed grew and my dream team came together to create The Moon Deck. With illustrator Andrea Keh and strategist Ashley Bruni, we embarked on a deep and rewarding journey to actualize a shared vision of helping our sisters take ownership of their power and reimagine their lives. Inspired by the cyclical nature of the moon and the inherent wisdom of women, we designed an intuitive tool for self-growth.
A card with beautiful imagery and words is powerful and accessible for reflection. I’ve been amazed by the experiences students have when I share my favorite card decks in class. They always seem to receive “the perfect card” that tells them “exactly what they needed to hear.” What resonated with me seemed to also be working for them.
What were the unexpected challenges creating this project?
There has been too many challenges to list here, however all have been rewarding. We’ve never created a real life product before, so there has been a ton of learning every step of the way.
Writing a book and deciding which mantras to use was also a deep challenge – both because of the discipline required and because we didn’t want to leave anything out!
Also, working with such close friends has been equally rewarding and challenging – it’s been amazing, bonding, and of course highly reflective. Working with besties comes with the challenge of taking things more personally and coming up against obstacles in a different and more tender way. But chaos breeds beauty, and working with sisters to create something heartfelt was a true ritual in and of itself.
What is your favorite part of working on your passion project and working for yourself?
Aarona: For me my work, my wellbeing, my spirituality and my passion projects are very much wrapped into one. I love what I do, even with the ups and downs of being self-employed; it can be so personal which isn’t always easy. That said, my favorite part of this work is creative collaborations and teaching in group settings.
How do you use The Moon Deck in your spiritual practice?
Aarona: Picking a card on the daily has become a beautiful and needed practice. I always get the perfect card that gives me something special and timely to reflect on. I also have been using these cards in my yoga classes which has been hugely helpful in giving my themes direction and deeper meaning.
Andi: We have spent almost two years creating this, so am loving just holding it, looking at it, and photographing it like a proud mama! I choose cards daily for myself, friends and family until they can get their own deck. I am soaking in The Moon Deck and its beautiful birth. Overjoyed to share this love with the world!
Ashley: Creation is a spiritual practice for me – so to start, just taking in this manifestation and seeing something created with best friends come to life is a powerful affirmation on its own. Personally, I use mantras to center myself and rewrite the stories in my mind, so now that I have all my favorite teachings in one place it’s much easier to connect with what I need!
Any advice for the artists and creators reading this?
Trust those big visions that make your body and heart hum. Write them down, meditate on them, and brainstorm with your favorite people who uplift and support you. Whether they happen slowly or quickly, trust that they will happen.
Aarona: I’ve wanted to create a healing deck since 2009 and knew that somehow it would happen. It wasn’t until 2014 that I began to really share it openly and activate the vision. This has been the case with all of my biggest achievements and creative projects – if I look back, there was always a moment when I saw the vision in some form. It usually changes into something a little different once it becomes real, so leave a little room for that sweet surprise.
Any exciting projects in the creative pipeline?
Expanding The Moon Deck so it reaches more people is a huge project right now. Plus we want to grow our deck and its contents into other offerings and conscious products down the road (more soon :). We also want to offer ‘ritual bundles’ where you can get an all-in-one experience that includes the deck plus all the ritual needs from the guidebook – and yes we are open to collaborations! Also – we want the website to grow into a fun, interactive and useful destination for women to connect in community and receive information on self-love rituals, how to’s, and conscious products.
Rapid Fire Round!
Starsign?
Aarona – Sun: Leo Moon: Libra Rising: Libra
Andi – Sun: Libra Moon: Sagittarius Rising: Leo
Ashley – Sun: Taurus Moon: Aries Rising: Libra
Favourite flavour of ice-cream?
Aarona – I’m moody. Depends on the time of month.
Andi – Cachew ice-cream or Coconut Bliss
Ashley – Dark Chocolate Coconut Bliss
Do you have any pets?
Yes, as true witches we all have familiars!
Aarona – My beloved fur child kitty cat Jaya Sage
Andi – 4 lb. Toy yorkie named Raisin.
Ashley – Black lab fur child / witchy familiar Dior
What book are you currently reading?
Aarona – “Care of the Soul” by Thomas Moore
Andi – PRAYERS OF HONORING by Pixie Lighthorse and LIVING YOUR YOGA by Judith Hanson Lasater
Ashley – Rereading Luce Iragaray’s, “This Sex Which Is Not One” after going deep into Dodie Bellamy’s “Cunt Norton”
Name a film you have seen more than 5 times?
Aarona – Moonrise Kingdom
Andi – Disney/Pixar movies with my kids 😉
Ashley – Waking Life
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Aarona – Ashley
Andi – Aarona
Ashley – Andi
What is your go-to crystal?
Aarona – amethyst, quartz and labradorite
Andi – opal, rose quartz, amethyst
Ashley – meth*
*Ashley thinks she’s hilarious – don’t mind her, she lives by her rose quartz crystal egg 😉
How can we follow you and your projects?
Please preorder The Moon Deck at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-moon-deck-an-intuitive-oracle-set
Website: www.themoondeck.com
Instagram: @the_moondeck
Aarona:
Insta: @aarona.ganesan
Andi: Insta @andikeh
Ashley: Insta @ladybruni
