The Dragon Riders Oracle, by Christine Arana Fader and illustrated by Elena Dudina
Earthdancer Books, 1644119994, 112 pages, 43 cards, February 2024
Dragons are absolutely majestic, and quite frankly, they can also be intimidating! Though I’ve desired to connect more with dragon energy, I was struggling to find a book or deck that made the grandiosity feel accessible. The Dragon Riders Oracle by Christine Arana Fader and illustrated by Elena Dudina was the “in” that I needed to discover my own dragon and better understand their true nature.
It was the way Fader provides a creation story for the origins of dragons and how they came to be companions to other energetic beings. According to what her own dragon has shared, Fader explains dragons were “the first entities in our universe”1, who were entrusted by Source to be universal protectors. I now see dragons as guardians of the galaxy, an energy that vibrates with high love for the multitude of energetic beings in the universe.
Those energetic beings are the dragon riders–gods, goddesses, elves, angels, and ascended masters–who are coupled with their dragon on the cards in this deck. The dragon riders Fader has depicted come from a range of spiritual traditions (Christianity, Celtic, Greek and Roman Pantheon, Buddhism, Confucianism, and more) giving a wide range of insights. Many of the dragon riders will be familiar names, though there were some energetic beings I was happy to discover and learn more about, while the dragons’ names will most likely be new to readers.
Fader teaches how the true name of each dragon cannot be uttered by humans, as it is a matrix of “pure power and comprises numbers, letters, sounds, symbols, and colors.”2 Reading that sentence, I conjure a mental image of what a potential matrix might appear as, but as Fader notes, it’s hardly translatable to paper! For this reason, she has chosen names that still resonate with the dragon’s energy and have meaning in regard to “the element of the dragon’s being.”3
Another thing Fader notes in the introduction, which I really appreciated, was how the energetic beings portrayed do not actually have human forms; the way they are depicted by Dudina is intended to help readers form a relationship with their energy by giving them a relatable appearance. Fader writes, “All the beings portrayed in the cards have a body, a face, eyes, and distinct colors, but it is important to remember they are not the “truth”, they are only representations to help you make contact.”4 I value this reminder, as it helped me to attune myself to the spiritual dimensions of the cards, while also providing a form I could visualize connecting with while meditating.
The cards themselves are very sturdy with a sleek feel that makes them easy to shuffle. Dudina has done an absolutely incredible job illustrating the multitude of dragon riders and dragons. There are so many types of dragons in all the colors of the rainbow, yet for each one, Dudina has captured their loving spirit in the way she’s drawn the eyes. I feel the regal presence of the dragons shining through, portraying a relationship of mutual love, trust, and devotion with the companion dragon rider. As for the dragon riders, they all look immaculately handsome and beautiful.
Each card is numbered and has the name of the dragon rider and companion dragon along with a short message at the bottom. The number makes it easy to look up the corresponding entry in the guidebook for further insight. In the guidebook entry, Fader provides background on the dragon rider and then a message from both the dragon rider and the dragon. The messages are in direct quotes, indicating it was spoken directly to Fader by the energetic being to be shared with readers.
Here’s an example of the messages from the card Kuan Yin & Susuri. The first quote is a snippet of the message from Kuan Yin, while the second is part of the message from Kuan Yin’s female dragon companion Susuri.
“Follow my teachings and learn to love without expecting anything in return. In doing so, you will discover unimaginable inner riches.”5
“Let me penetrate the very depths of your being; let me expand you from within and break your inner chains. To do this, hold the card over your heart and feel how with my resonance I am at work within you.”6
The insights are not divinatory–they are more like advice directly from these higher spiritual beings for us. In the introduction, Fader even encourages readers to not ask a question when shuffling and pulling a card, rather she instructs to connect to one’s heart and breath, concentrating on being in the moment without overthinking. This is the way to establish the connection with dragons, and the message that is meant for you will come through. There is a specific energetic being that wants to guide you, one whose teachings are most relevant to you at the time of drawing your card.
One fun and unexpected aspect of this deck is the addition of two Joker cards (number 7 and 13) with cats on them. These cards represent “a leap in consciousness”7 and that new opportunities for spiritual growth are on their way. In order to ensure readers are prepared for this new energy headed their direction, the Joker cards offer rituals to perform to find one’s center, becoming the bridge between the spiritual and material world. If readers don’t feel called to work with the Joker cards, they can of course just not include them in their deck.
Overall, The Dragon Riders Oracle is a wonderful way to gain the spiritual wisdom of high vibrational energetic beings of love. From gods and goddesses to angels and ascended masters, this deck opens the door to protection, guidance, and support from the realms above. Most especially, the genuine and powerful essence of the dragons shines through to ensure readers are aligned with their spiritual path. The primal, mystical powers of the dragons is sure to create a fulfilling change in readers’ lives.
Alanna Kali is an astrologer, numerologist, and pioneer spirit that loves to explore life through the lens of depth psychology. She has a passion for studying the humanities and social trends. Her academic work is centered upon reuniting body, mind, and spirit through eco-psychology. She loves reading, spending time in nature, and travel.