Animal Totem Tarot...

staticfuzz

Depiction
As a previous poster said, the animals are shown in a natural way and not anthropomorphised. However, sometimes they are just there on the card. The 4 of wands shows a crow just sitting next to 4 upright wands with a woodland background. This is more the rule than the exception sadly. Many cards are influenced by the RWS symbolism, yet some aren't. I went through the deck, card by card, until I came across the 5 of cups, showing a muskrat (I think) swimming away from his fellow muskrat he left on the shore after what looks like he murdered him. At this point, I put the deck down and really felt disenchanted with the whole thing.

It's actually a bowerbird on the 4 of Wands and I think it's perfect symbolism because he's showing off his beautiful and safe nest! It would be even better if there were a woman bird sharing it with him but he's done the hard work and his success is assured, I think.

But I definitely get your point about not wanting to learn a whole new system when you get a deck. Thank you for your thoughtful review, I found it very helpful. Hearing others articulate why they don't like something teaches me as much about a deck as those who do. I still want this one, mostly because of the gorgeous artwork. I don't mind brushing up on my biology/ecology either! :)
 

Seldes Katne

Purchased this deck at my local Barnes & Noble because I love animal depictions, but as someone who is only an "experienced amateur," I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already have a familiarity with card meanings. I've been admiring the artwork, but will need to work my way through it card by card once I've finished used a couple other decks to gain experience with reading first.
 

chocbird

Hello everyone.

Would it be alright if I added my two cents, despite not having any of the animal-themed decks discussed? I've watched and read a few reviews, that's all, but the Animal Totem Tarot isn't available in my area yet (and sorry, no phone that can run Fool's Dog app). I'm reasonably sure that I will be getting it then. I just have some thoughts on what I've seen from the cards and a little about the way the deck can be approached.
 

firecatpickles

I have this deck and this thread inspires me to use it!
 

Padma

Hello everyone.

Would it be alright if I added my two cents, despite not having any of the animal-themed decks discussed? I've watched and read a few reviews, that's all, but the Animal Totem Tarot isn't available in my area yet (and sorry, no phone that can run Fool's Dog app). I'm reasonably sure that I will be getting it then. I just have some thoughts on what I've seen from the cards and a little about the way the deck can be approached.

Of course! Please do share your thoughts on the deck! :)
 

chocbird

This has gotten really long... TL; DR: my personal opinion is that knowledge of animals will enrich reading with any animal-based deck, and I'm glad that a quite realistic, non-anthropomorphized animal tarot deck like the Animal Totem is available through a popular publisher with a substantial book.

I think to a large degree the usefulness/clarity of the Animal Totem deck will depend on the reader's knowledge of animals, or willingness to study a bit on their behaviours as well as various cultural associations (to a degree, the animals on the cards are symbols). So far, I've seen a couple of people not recognize the animals on the cards or misidentify them - not everyone has to be a zoology buff, and hey, that's what the attached book is supposedly for, as well (it should explain why particular animals were chosen, or at least help direct more study). However, I think understanding this deck will be more difficult if one just tries to use it intuitively or tries to copy-paste RWS meanings without looking at the animal "intermediaries".

For example, the ladybird in the Wheel of Fortune (mentioned in review above) has a strong association with luck in folk beliefs of my culture (Eastern European) - one landing on you brings luck, it having a certain number of spots brings luck or misfortune, children make wishes "on ladybirds" (or, to carry them to God - Roman Catholic beliefs are dominant in my country), etc. Further, there are many different species of ladybirds - in gardening particularly, some are extremely helpful in culling pests like aphids, others are herbivorous pests themselves. Up and down the Wheel, the ladybirds have got it down pat. For me personally, these connections were instantaneous. For others, they may not be.

Similarly, in one video review, a person didn't recognize the cow (female) moose as Queen of Cups. As I've said, it is not knowledge everyone must possess. But, knowing that it is a moose, which live in forests, frequent swamps, and are excellent swimmers (adaptable to the environment they encounter); that they are mostly slow and "placid" animals except for breeding period (like most species), that cows are extremely protective of their young and that (regardless of sex) moose will become aggressive and swift if threatened - I think knowing all that really adds to understanding of the card and helps to explain its meanings, connect it to RWS and our human life.

Overall, I think the book will be helpful (at least as a starting point) to anyone who comes to this deck, with background in various fields of biology or not. I haven't read it, of course, so this is just my expectation regarding the card descriptions. My impression (from video reviews) was that the introductory part of the book is general 101. So, I understand (from the above review) that it's the animal spirits, animal guides, animal totems section that's new-agey? And, while the book may be such, I don't think the deck itself has to be. We can set the book aside after browsing through if we don't fancy it, can we not?

(As an aside, you know what strikes me more as new-agey? The Animal Wisdom deck. Quite possibly - maybe wrongly - solely due to art style, with a dreamy, "ethereal" feel to it.)

I find the corpses and carrion perfectly in line with the idea of the deck - death is an integral part of the world and the animal kingdom, a step just as necessary as all others in the cycle. I've watched a flip-through of the whole deck, and in my opinion this has been depicted well, even if not 100% true to life (we're not going for so much realism that it would strongly influence the card's meaning).

The Five of Cups is with capybaras - very social herbivorous animals, with strong family ties, that switch between land and aquatic environments (and yes, they get violent, too, when fighting for mates and protecting young and territory). The living one seems to be swimming against the river current (river, like in RWS) - fighting its way through the grief, and not looking at the filling cup in the back. We don't know whether both individuals were attacked - is the remaining capybara injured as well? It's hidden by the water, both physical and emotional pain is cloaked in it. The rest of the family group that capybaras form isn't depicted, either, making the swimming animal all the more isolated. For me, that card works - the loss, struggle, the hiding of pain, the loneliness.

(What about real life? Well, I'd ask where's the predator that started nibbling on the dead herbivore - and why a living one would be hanging around despite such imminent danger. Doesn't quite have a Five of Cups vibe to it though, does it?)

As for the (new, I understand?) Llewellyn boxes - we may not like it, but it's all about business. I don't think it a fair expectation to get an additional inner "storage" box, when a proper-size, reasonably hefty book (over 200 pages, after subtracting the lined ones for own notes) is included in the large box, for the price that the deck is sold for. I can make the box if I want to (there are threads and links on the forum, in a neat index, even) - I can't write an author-perspective book, since I'm not the deck author, and his/her writing about the deck can be a starting point and "idea trove" for my understanding.

The deck that I wanted since I laid my eyes on it, The Animism Tarot (a little fluffier and gentler than the Totem, I think), is unfortunately too pricey for me to buy and import here (nearly 100EUR, including shipping and necessary VAT; it has a short guidebook PDF available). I like the art, the reversible backs are pleasant, and (cough) it has The Happy Squirrel - but I'm unable justify the cost. That is why I think The Animal Totem will find its way to me soon after it's available here - even if I'll be annoyed with the too-busy, ever-so-slightly non-reversible backs. I know that cost isn't an issue for a lot of people and there isn't such huge price disparity for folks in the US, but I personally take it into account.

ETA: I mentioned threads about boxes, and have found what could possibly be one with the least hassle - namely, earthair's excellent idea to make storage box from the large outer box. Won't work if one wants to preserve the colourful outer box whole (DIY out of plain cardstock then) but I think these look really neat.
 

greycats

Choc bird said it all except for personal experience which I can supply. I opened the deck, mixed it well and asked it (by way of testing it) why I was not learning to do a certain thing as successfully as I thought I ought. Honestly, I didn't know why I was floundering. The deck told me why, in depth, with three cards. I felt the nail.

So Animal Totem a keeper for me. It might be more after I use it awhile. Or not. Either way it's a deck rich in meaning.
 

MagsStardustBlack

I have had it a few days. I really like it and I think I like the companion book too.
 

Obsydian

I gave in and it arrived this morning! I feel compelled to read with it right away as it speaks to me strongly.

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Calayvie

This deck is now on the top of my wish list. It sounds like I'll love the realism of it, and the interesting range of animals, not all the standard ones that most people already know.
Understanding a fair bit about animal behaviour will make this deck a delight to read with I think!
Eek! I can't wait!
*rubs hands together and goes to check bank balance!

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