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Spirit of the Animals Oracle by Jody Bergsma
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- Primary Spiritual Use: Intuition
- Secondary Spiritual Use: Connection
- Element: Water
- Planet: Moon
- Zodiac: Cancer, Pisces
- Chakra: Third Eye
- Ruling Day: Monday
- Tradition: Modern eclectic
- Intent: Intuition, Connection, Divination
For anyone who feels a kinship with the creatures of the wild, the Spirit of the Animals Oracle offers 51 animal guides to walk alongside you. Painted in Jody Bergsma's luminous, self-taught watercolor style, each card introduces an animal helper, from tiny bumblebees to towering giraffes, along with keywords and an affirmation to carry with you. A special Personal Choice card lets you welcome an animal that is not pictured, chosen by your own intuition. Warm, encouraging, and beautifully illustrated, this borderless oracle invites you to reflect on the qualities each animal embodies and what they might be inviting you to notice, making it a gentle companion whether you are new to oracle decks or a longtime reader.
At a glance
Key Features of the Spirit of the Animals Oracle
51 animal guides, plus a Personal Choice card. The 52-card deck introduces 51 animal helpers, each with keywords and an affirmation, and a Personal Choice card for an animal not pictured, chosen by your intuition.
Luminous watercolor art. Jody Bergsma's richly detailed, borderless illustrations bring each animal vividly to life and invite a deeper connection during reading.
Generous guidebook and spread. The set includes a 116-page illustrated guidebook with fuller messages for each animal, along with a Power Animals Spread sheet.
About This Deck
From the publisher, U.S. Games Systems: this oracle by Jody Bergsma guides you on a journey to get to know 51 different animal helpers and their gifts. From tiny bumblebees to towering giraffes, each animal offers strength, insight, and inspiration for your personal journey, and a special Personal Choice card invites you to deepen your intuition and connection. The set includes 51 Animal Spirit Cards, a Personal Choice Card, a 116-page illustrated guidebook, and a Power Animals Spread sheet.
Jody Bergsma is a watercolor artist based in Bellingham, Washington, who has developed her luminous, self-taught style over decades and thousands of paintings. Keywords and affirmations are printed on the borderless cards, with fuller messages and meanings in the guidebook.
The particulars
Product Details
- 52-card oracle deck (51 Animal Spirit Cards plus 1 Personal Choice Card)
- 116-page illustrated guidebook
- Power Animals Spread sheet
- Artist: Jody Bergsma
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- Art style: borderless watercolor; keywords and affirmations printed on the cards
- Card size: approximately 4" x 6"
- ISBN: 9781572817845
The Spiritual Significance
The idea that animals can act as guides and teachers is one of the oldest and most widespread in human culture. People the world over have looked to the creatures around them, reading a hawk's keen vision, a bear's strength, or a deer's gentleness as mirrors for qualities they hope to understand in themselves. The Spirit of the Animals Oracle draws on that broad and deeply human impulse, offering 51 animals as companions for reflection.
It is worth saying plainly that this deck is Jody Bergsma's own artistic and spiritual vision, drawing inspiration from many cultures' reverence for animals rather than representing the ceremonial practice of any single tradition. Approached that way, it sits respectfully alongside that long history without claiming to speak for traditions it does not belong to.
As an oracle, it works a little differently from tarot. Rather than a fixed structure of 78 cards, it offers a gallery of animal helpers, each with its own keywords and affirmation, plus a Personal Choice card for an animal not pictured. Drawing one becomes an invitation to ask what that creature's qualities might be showing you, and what you might carry forward from the encounter.
Ways to use it
What Is the Spirit of the Animals Oracle Used For?
-
A gentle start
An oracle deck has no fixed structure to learn, so it's an easy way in when tarot's 78 cards feel like too much right now. -
A daily pull
Draw one card in the morning and notice how it shows up over the day. -
Full spreads
Lay out a spread, such as past, present and future, when you want the bigger picture. -
Reading for others
Read for friends and family. -
Quick answers
Pull a single card for a yes or no, or a fast read on a question. -
Journaling
Write about the card you drew: what you see in it, and what it brings up. -
Meditating on a card
Set one card where you can see it and let its imagery hold your attention. -
Altar and spellwork
Stand a card on your altar as the focus of a working, so its symbolism points your thinking where you want your life to go. -
Holiday readings
Do a reading for a sabbat, a birthday or the new year. -
With a pendulum
If you're not sure how you're reading a card, hold a pendulum over it to check. -
Paired with another deck
Pull a card from this deck alongside a tarot spread for extra context. -
Who it suits
It suits beginners and art lovers, and it makes a good gift. -
A new deck
Cleanse it, go through the cards one at a time so you get used to each other, then spread the cards face down on a favorite surface and swirl them together like a lake. Every card gets turned every which way, so the deck starts out well mixed. Our guide to reading tarot walks through your first reading. -
Storage
Keep the cards stacked neatly in their box or a bag. A crystal on top is a nice touch.
Step by step
How To Use the Spirit of the Animals Oracle
- When the deck is new, clear it in whatever way suits you: passing it through cleansing smoke, resting it under the moon, or simply shuffling while you set your intention for your work together.
- Take a little time to meet the animals before you read. Notice which ones you feel drawn to; the deck is built to spark connection through their presence.
- Choose how you would like to work, whether a single daily card, a small spread, or the Power Animals Spread included with the deck, and shuffle while holding your question in mind.
- Read the cards with the guidebook close at hand, and sit with the keywords and affirmation, asking what each animal's qualities might be inviting you to notice.
- Close your reading with a moment of thanks or reflection, and store the cards somewhere that feels right, wrapped in cloth or kept in their box.
Good company
Pairs Well With
- Spiritsong Tarot Deck a gentle, animal-guided tarot, a natural companion for readers who love working with creatures as teachers.
- Tarot of the Owls another animal-led deck, full of owl wisdom, for those drawn to creatures as guides.
- White Sage Smudge Sticks, Set of 6 cleanse your deck and reading space with sacred smoke before you begin.
- Frankincense Tears Granular Incense burn a little frankincense as you read to settle the mind and mark the space as sacred.
- Selenite Wire-Wrapped Necklace many readers keep selenite nearby to help maintain a clear, calm space for intuitive work.
Before you buy
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards are in the deck, and what comes with it?
The Spirit of the Animals Oracle is a 52-card deck, made up of 51 Animal Spirit Cards and one Personal Choice Card. The set also includes a 116-page illustrated guidebook with fuller messages for each animal and a Power Animals Spread sheet to guide your layouts.
How is an oracle deck different from a tarot deck?
Unlike tarot, which follows a fixed structure of 78 cards, an oracle deck sets its own. Here, each card is a single animal guide with its own keywords and affirmation, so readings tend to feel open and reflective, centered on the qualities the animal embodies rather than a set system.
What is the Personal Choice card for?
The Personal Choice card stands in for an animal that is not pictured in the deck. When it appears, or when you choose it, you are invited to use your own intuition to decide which animal has come forward for you and what its presence might mean.
Who created the Spirit of the Animals Oracle?
It was created by Jody Bergsma, a watercolor artist based in Bellingham, Washington. Known for her luminous, imaginative animal art, she developed her self-taught style over decades and many thousands of paintings.
How do I cleanse or care for an oracle deck?
Many readers cleanse a new deck before first use by passing it through cleansing smoke, setting it under the moon, or knocking and reshuffling to reset its energy. Store the cards in their box or wrapped in cloth, keep them dry, and handle them with clean hands to protect the art.
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