Newly published tarot and oracle decks arrive on Amazon, Etsy, crowd-funding platforms, and in bookstores every month. Today there are literally thousands of decks to choose from, including out-of-print decks as well as published ones. Reviewing a deck is a subjective judgment intended to help readers determine if they want to own the deck.

The critical review of a deck for AskAstrology involves looking at the quality and size of the cards, visual accessibility of the art, quality of the companion book or booklet, and potential usefulness in professional practice. This month I have chosen to review The Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid.

The Cards

From the back of the box

The spirits residing in the natural world have much to share, and the secrets of their forgotten language are now available to you through The Spirit Animal Oracle. They urge us to reclaim our essential Truth–that we are one in Spirit, connected to every living thing on this earth in a unified consciousness. With the draw of a card, you can share in this wisdom and better navigate your life, move beyond the obstacles of your perceived limitations, and tune in to your infinite potential.

Represented in the 68 cards of this beautifully illustrated oracle card deck are the Higher Spirits of different animals, insects, fish, and birds. Every animal has a transcendent archetypal symbolism, a universal meaning holding a message of deep, enduring truth. With guidance from intuitive master and oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid, you can now awaken to your partnership with Spirit to co-create your reality in service to the world.

About the author

Colette Baron-Reid is an internationally acclaimed Oracle expert, thought leader, and number one best-selling author of “The Map” and other books and products, including Oracle Cards and Meditation Apps. As a spiritual medium, she is also the star of the hit TV series, Messages from Spirit (Amazon Prime), and she hosts the highly popular call-in radio show “Ask the Oracle” on HayHouseRadio.com. (Amazon authors page)

With over 30 years of experience and a global audience in 29 countries, Colette’s greatest joy is teaching people that they can have a direct and personal dialog with the Universe to help them create their best lives. When she’s not creating oracle cards, writing books, or delighting audiences, she’s usually writing, singing, and recording music (yup you read that right!) and hanging out with her husband and 2 Pomeranians on her farm in Canada or somewhere fun in the USA.

Card Stock and Shuffling

Printed on medium card stock, these cards have a matte finish with rounded corners. They are not easy to shuffle when you first start using them because the cards do not flex easily and the finish causes them to stick together.  With repeated use, shuffling improves. On the upside, if the deck is used heavily, it will last for an extended period.

Artwork and the Visual Accessibility of the Deck

The artwork is stunning, highly detailed, and rich in colors. The artist does a great job depicting each animal. To help with interpretation, each card has a phrase below the name of the spirit animal. In the case of the Whale Spirit, the message is “Trust the Great Mystery.”  The message for the Wasp Spirit is, “Sometimes, life stings.”

Butterfly Spirit

From the booklet:

Oracle Message: Joy and the beautiful lightness of being alive and creative in the world is the focus when Butterfly Spirit flutters before you. Transformation is inevitable as you grow into your most beautiful, empowered self. Indeed, you will go through some uncomfortable stages as you let go of the forms of your life that no longer fit you. (35)

Flamingo Spirit

From the booklet:

Oracle Message: Balance comes easily to Flamingo Spirit, who sees what was and what will be and stands strong in the face of uncertainty. You can be informed by what came before and plan for a future yet to be, but do not resist Flamingo Spirit’s call to be fully present in the now, where the real magic happens. (79)

Vulture Spirit

From the booklet:

Oracle Message: What seems hideous has its beauty, and the recycling and re-purposing the vulture does is as important as any other activity in nature that supports the cycle of life. Vulture Spirit’s message is that nothing is to be wasted, for Nature sees value in everything. (185)

Explanation of the Cards

This deck does have a very good companion booklet, with clear explanations. Each Spirit Animal receives three pages of explanation. The book’s introductory section is excellent, providing very good advice about how to use the cards, including sample readings.

• Tarot 101

Usefulness

As a professional reader, I can say that this deck is outstanding for both personal and professional use. The artwork is beautiful, and the spirit of the animals makes a great theme for an oracle deck. And, this is a good deck to use in a public setting where you want to keep the reading tone free from some of the harsher cards you find in a traditional tarot deck.

I would recommend the deck for personal and professional use. This deck would make a great addition to your oracle and tarot card collection if you are a collector.

Rating

I give this deck 5 out of 5 stars. The meanings in the booklet are well-written and highly insightful. Colette Baron-Reid is a shining light in the esoteric and spiritual field and has produced yet another outstanding deck!

Where to Buy this Deck

If you like this deck and wish to purchase a copy, you can do so on Amazon.

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