Joy and Forge
Forward
Our Approach
Joy and Forge Forward creates oracle decks for people who want real transformation, not spiritual bypass. We believe the path to sustainable joy requires honest engagement with shadow, grief, and the full spectrum of human experience. Our decks draw from depth psychology, mythological frameworks, and lived experience—offering companionship through the messy middle of change, not promises of easy fixes..
Oracle Decks
for the Full Journey
Our Decks
Shadow Smith:
The Forge
A 22-card shadow work deck following the Hero's Journey of transformation. Based on Carl Jung's concept of the Shadow and Joseph Campbell's mythological framework, each card guides you through the archetypal stages of descent, confrontation, and integration. From The Forger (0) through Completion (XXI), this deck invites honest engagement with the hidden parts of yourself that hold creative and transformative potential.
Shadow Smith: Softening Grief
Shadow Smith: Softening Grief (In Development)
A 130-card deck exploring five types of loss through the five stages of grief. Each loss type—Person, Relationship, Dream/Identity, Closure, and Ideal/Belief—moves through Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Drawing from Kübler-Ross, Megan Devine's "grief as place" framework, and lived experience, this deck offers honest companionship through the full terrain of loss without spiritual bypassing. Includes stage dividers and comprehensive guidebook
Tender Thoughts
By The Sea
A 40-card deck of coastal-themed affirmations combining ocean imagery with grounded self-compassion and a little humor.
Thoughts For Tendercore Training
This deck was created for people who want encouragement without denial — gentle truths with a twist of humor, made for real, messy humans.
No toxic positivity. No spiritual bypass. Just honest kindness for days when you need a softer voice.We’re currently redesigning this deck to better reflect its heart and purpose.
It’s not available right now — but it will return, wiser and more beautifully undone.
For Shops & Healing Spaces
If your shelves hold space for seekers, artists, or the quietly brave—we welcome you.
What Makes Our Decks Different
Grounded in Reality
We don't promise that grief will make you stronger or that everything happens for a reason. We offer companionship through the actual experience of loss and transformation.Psychologically Informed
Our decks draw from depth psychology, grief theory, and decades of professional intuitive work—not just pretty platitudes.No Spiritual BypassingWe believe in doing the real work. That means sitting with anger, acknowledging depression, and honoring the messy parts of being human.Created by Someone Still in the WorkThese aren't decks made by someone who claims to have it all figured out. They're created by a practitioner who continues to grow, question, and transform alongside her community.
Wholesale Information
We partner with independent bookshops, metaphysical stores, therapists, and healing spaces who believe in honest tools for inner work.Our decks are produced in small, intentional runs—not mass market—making them a meaningful addition for customers who seek depth over novelty.
About
Joy and Forge Forward creates decks of cards as reflection guides for navigating life's joys and transitions—not just the light, but the shadow work that makes joy sustainable.Founded by River K Benson, a professional intuitive reader with a BS, BFA, and decades of experience in shadow work and personal transformation, our decks ar metaphysical principles. We believe deep inner work doesn't require spiritual bypassing or false positivity. Transformation happens when we're willing to sit with what's difficult.
© 2025 Joy and Forge Forward. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: These oracle decks are tools for self-reflection and personal exploration. They are not a substitute for professional mental health care, medical treatment, or therapeutic counseling. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or need professional support, please contact a qualified therapist or counselor.