את: a Netivot Wisdom Oracle is the first published oracle deck inspired teachings of Kohenet: The Hebrew Priestess Institute about the 13 Netivot, Divine Pathways.
The first edition, was funded via Kickstarter in 2018, has sold out. The Kickstarter for the 2nd edition is due to launch in 5783 on the summer solstice, 6/21/2023
Follow the progress at Instagram.com at @devotaj_arts or @netivotoracle or sign up for the 💌 Devotaj Sacred Arts newsletter 💌.
Introducing the 2nd Edition
The 2nd edition of the Netivot Wisdom Oracle is not just a reprinting or a minor tweak. Much of the original structure has remained, but the addition of a new suit (which I’ve been dreaming since the 1st edition) required much of the art to change. In addition, how I personally and we collectively think about gender, race, ethnicity, life, culture, and even Jewishness has changed in the past few years; so some additional changes were made to reflect this growth.
In the process of developing the 2nd edition, I realized I had been mispronouncing what I called “eht.” The Hebrew vowel is really “ay” not “eh,” at least in Ashkenazi pronunciation. I felt that changing the name to reflect this symbolized my personal growth in the past few years, as well as the many other changes in the deck.
Eit/Aht Deck Structure
The structure of את: a Netivot Wisdom Oracle is organized around four “suits,” for lack of a better term: Vessels, Offerings, Allies, and Gifts.
- VESSELS: Manifestations of the Divine in human form. This may be work we do on behalf of the Divine, or ways the Divine appears in our waking/sleeping dreams — and in those all around us.
- OFFERINGS: The tools we use as part of our Divine work, which may be physical items or actions, but sometimes it is simply a way of being.
- ALLIES: Animals, plants, places — anything that provides us with support through a pathway of the Divine.
- GIFTS: The corresponding soul-traits from Kesharim K’doshim mussar, which as gifts from the Divine to help us on our paths.
Note: Art subject to change
What are the Netivot?
Based on the teachings of the Kohenet movement, I understand the Netivot (נתיבות) to be pathways or channels of manifestation of the Divine in feminine form. The Hebrew word netivah (נתיב) means “pathway” or “route”. For example, in Modern Hebrew an airport terminal is called a beit netivot (בית נתיבות) – a house of pathways.
Sometimes these are faces of the Divine and sometimes they are ways that a person is called to Divine service. They appear for many of us as feminine or femme and are generally presented as such in this deck, but these pathways are not limited by human understandings of gender (or race, ethnicity, age, ability, or even species). The Divine can be found in all of these and in all of us in all forms.
As Marcia Falk teaches: “The divine abounds everywhere and dwells in everything; the many are One.”
דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָשָׁלֽוֹם
Proverbs 3:17
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace
In the book “The Hebrew Priestess: Ancient and New Visions of Jewish Women’s Spiritual Leadership“, written by the founders of the Kohenet movement and training institute the Netivot are described as “priestess paths.” That is with the understanding that a priestess (or priestex) is a “microcosm of the G!d/dess.” So when we find these pathways of Divine service, we are also seeing faces of the Divine.
These pathways run in multiple directions — not just from the Divine to humans — but also from humanity back to the Divine. Just think of Yaakov’s vision of the ladder (Gen 28:12) — the angels were ascending and descending. It doesn’t say first that the angels were descending from Heaven to bring messages — but ascending the ladder — bringing new information back. I believe that what we do influences the Divine in many ways — including the faces that are shown to humanity and humanity’s experience of the Divine.
In the Kohenet movement, and this deck, we work with 13 Netivot:
- Na’arah — Maiden
- Ohevet — Lover
- Immah — Mother
- G’virah — Queen
- Chachamah — Wise Woman
- Meyaledet — Midwife
- Mekonenet — Mourning Woman
- Doreshet — Seeker
- Tzovah — Shrinekeeper
- Neviah — Prophetess
- Baalat Ov — Witch / Spirit Vessel
- Leiztanit — Sacred Fool
- Oreget — Weaver
When you read these and think, “what about XXX?” Zhe is there – within one of these — or many. The G’virah is recognized as a warrior — but the Na’arah may also be a warrior.
A Na’arah may also overlap with the Mekonenet combining the energy of youth with the keening anger/sadness of loss.
None of us is one simple thing. We all bring complexity — so when we draw on the energy of one of the Netivot — most likely we are embodying several at any time.
That is also why each Netivah is represented in four different ways: Vessel, Offering, Ally, Gift.
Most of us have some that we are immediately drawn to and some that repel or scare us. Each of them has something to teach us, and each of them offers us strength and wisdom for different moments in our lives.
By learning to embody them all, we become more. We do the work of Tikkun haLev (repair of the heart), Tikkun haNefesh (repair of the soul), and Tikkun Olam (repair of the world).
In addition to the 52 Netivot cards, there is one additional card – the eit/aht (את) card, which is an invitation to interpretation and mystery. This card is one of the many with new art in the 2nd edition, and I’m deeply grateful to Rav Kohenet Rabbi Jill Hammer for both taking the photo that is the source of the art on this card —- and giving me permission to use it.
On the back of each card is a sacred circle made up of 13 alefs (א) and 13 tavs (ת), a nod to the power of eit/aht in expanding our way of experiencing the world.
When/Where Can I Get This Deck?
The plan is to launch the Kickstarter for the 2nd Edition in on the summer solstice of 5783 (aka 6/21/2023).
Why is it taking so long? Because channeling Divine messages into physical form takes time.
Want to Learn More?
Follow the progress at Instagram.com at @devotaj_arts or @netivotoracle or sign up for the 💌 Devotaj Sacred Arts newsletter 💌.