Spirit of the Animals Oracle Review
The “Spirit of the Animals Oracle” is a 52 card oracle deck written and illustrated by Jody Bergsma. The deck is published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. The cards measure 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide.
Quality:
This deck is packaged in a sturdy box with a lift off lid. (If you have any decks from Blue Angel Publishing, this is the same style of box with a more matte finish.) You can stack other decks or books on top of it without fear of crushing it. The guidebook is nicely bound and well-edited, and the cardstock features a quality lamination that isn’t too glossy and is unlikely to have issues with peeling. With cards this size I’m always hesitant to do a strong riffle shuffle out of fear of putting a crease in them, but I think the risk of any real damage occurring from a vigorous shuffle are low.
Extra Materials (Guidebook & Spread Sheet):
The guidebook for this deck is 116 pages long, and it includes a brief introduction to animal totems, tips for working with the deck, spreads, and a detailed description of each card. These descriptions include keywords, some tidbits about the animal, additional card themes, and potential meanings or questions to ask yourself if the card turns up in a “contrary” or reversed position. A black and white illustration of the card accompanies its entry. Card meanings do have some overlap with one another. For example, several will highlight a need to rest or take time out for yourself. Introversion, setting boundaries, and the idea of being an “old soul” are other themes that crop up a few times. The contrary meanings and introspective questions tend to be a bit too cute and punny for my taste, but I’m sure many would find them clever.
Like many U.S. Games decks, this one includes a glossy paper spread sheet featuring a 9 card layout. If you can get the folding creases out of it, it could be handy to lay your cards on when using the spread since the position meanings are listed right on the sheet. I’ve personally never used one of these, but they are a nifty inclusion.
Artwork:
This is the third deck of Bergsma’s that I have purchased, largely because I am fond of her art style and animal decks in general. Her illustrations of animals are a distinct blend of swirling color and realism that I find charming and bursting with life. This deck includes one card with a serene mountain landscape illustration to serve as a personal choice card. The card is meant to represent an animal that is on your mind at the time or may not be included in the deck. I thought that was a unique touch. I also found it interesting that the chickadees on the squirrel and deer cards are just as prominent as the deer and squirrel. It made me wish for a chickadee card, but that might be because I’m such a bird lover.
Content:
The titles and key themes printed on the cards are concise and useful for a reader. I think they are concrete enough to make referring to the guidebook a supplemental activity for digging a bit deeper. Since oracles such as this don’t follow a particular reading system, it can be nice when they are this straightforward to use right out of the box. That being said, if you don’t care for keywords on your cards and prefer to implement your own insights about each animal, be warned that there is a decent amount of text on the cards.
Conclusion:
I purchased this deck just to enjoy Bergsma’s animal artwork, and I certainly was not disappointed. The cards are all quite beautiful. If you collect animal themed decks like I do, this would be a great addition to your collection. I did wish for fewer saccharine puns and less repetition of popular self-care themes among the cards, but I think such things are a pretty common feature in mass market oracle decks. It’s one of those decks that has a lot of cards that tell you things you really want to hear even though it isn’t an affirmation deck specifically.
More like this… The Spirit of the Wheel Meditation Deck, The Magical Times Empowerment Cards, Ancient Animal Wisdom Cards, Animal Voices Oracle, Secret Language of Animals Cards, Animal Wisdom Tarot, Animal Messages Cards, The Druid Animal Oracle, and too many more to list! Please leave a comment if you would like additional recommendations.
Quality: *****
Extra Materials: ***
Artwork: *****
Content: ****
Overall Score: 4.25 out of 5
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