favorite animal deck

[Alan Ross]

Recently I ordered the Tarot of the Magical Forest and the Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot (1st ed.), and I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival. The only other deck I own populated exclusively by animals is the Tarot of the Cat People, which somehow snuck into my collection and which I haven't gotten around to trading or giving away. I think the Magical Forest and the BBC will work out much better for me.

What I'm curious to hear about from other tarot animal lovers is what your favorite animal deck is, what your experiences have been working with animal decks, and whether you've found any differences reading with animal decks versus reading with people-based decks.

Alan

 

[Jewel]

My favorite animal tarot deck is the Fantastical Menagerie by MRP. The images are from Grandvelli's Metamorphosis, and basically they attribute animal characteristics to humans. I have found it outstanding in readings because along with the "human" aspects you can also tap into the animal instincts. My readings with this deck are direct, consice, and objective. It also has a wonderful sense of humor full of satire.

Tarot For Cats, which is a majors only deck, is one of my favorites. Just to give you an idea, the Tower card is cat when approached by a vacuum cleaner ~chuckles~. This deck is funny, but really does convey the archetype of the majors very well.

I own the BBC in all its incarnation (1st edition, 2nd edition, and gold) so I guess we can surely assume I think highly of it *LOL*. If you are familiar with cat attitudes, ascribe them to the cards and you will get all sorts of interesting information in addition to traditional meanings. Excellently executed deck. Very RWS based. If you can ever gets your hand on the companion book do so, it has cat meanings (which literally do apply excellently to the tarot structure) as well as traditional (by that I mean non-cat specific) meanings.

I also have the Tarot of the Magical Forest, which I call my "Hammy" deck (named after Hammy from the movie and cartoon series Over the Hedge). The deck is totally RWS based and usable, my problem is that I cannot stop giggling when I pick it up. It does read well though once I stop laughing and get the tears wipped off my face.

Once upon a time I owned the Crow's Magic, but I was never able to "get it." Granted that was before it came with a book (though I am not sure that would help). I have no interest in revisiting that deck though.

If you like animal decks you should check into some animal oracles, there are quite a few very wonderful animal oracles. I tend to leave the animals mainly for oracles rather than tarot (unless it is cats because I collect cat decks).

I hope you enjoy your decks, like I said they are two of my favorites. If you don't like them, I do not think you will have much trouble trading the BBC at least. But hopefully you will not want to trade them.

 

[Dogmother]

I agree with the Fantastic Menagerie being very good. As my name tells you I'm especially attuned to the use of dogs, and though it is not an animal deck, Kat Black used animals to advantage in her Golden deck (not so much in Touchstone). And in oracle decks, I've had great results with The Way of the Horse. Really made me look at things with a fresh mindset.

 

[rif]

Definitely the Magical Forest for me.

I haven't read with it a whole lot, because I've been mostly focused on another deck this year. But it read very well for me and I have no issues with it. In fact, I was just browsing through it yesterday and admiring the cards.

 

[annik]

Even if it is kind of human-like, there is the tarot of the animal lord. I think there is a few good tarot with animal out there. So, it is good to have the choice.

 

[WolfSpirit]

I've had great readings with Ted Andrews Animal Wise.
I am not particularaly fond of the artwork and I know he makes a bit of a mix of different spiritual traditions, yet still this deck really works for me on certain occasions.
As for artwork, I really love Lisa Hunt's Animal Divine, but I prefer working with just the minors for this deck. I love Lisa Hunt's artwork very much but I usually end up using the deck as an oracle and not use the book or traditional tarot meanings.

 

[karen0205]

Definitely the Magical Forest, also the BBCAts and Fantastic Menagerie deck.
I also like the Swedish Witch, it's technically not an 'animal deck' it has animals
on every card.

 

[nisaba]

I must admit to not having any animal-themed Tarots as such. I have two Australian Animal Oracles (I have found I don't always get on with the American ones), of which my working favourite is the Wisdom of the Australian Animals, by Fitzgerald and Olsen (?). I tend to take it in my Travelling Witch Kit when I go publicly reading, and I won't use it for a main reading, but at the end I'll usually get the client to draw one card from the deck, and I'll read exactly what the girls say in the book. It will invariably bounce off issues that have come up as important in the main reading, giving them that bit of extra reinforcement.

I'm waiting for the deck to wear out - which it is showing signs of already after only twelve years - whereupon I'll start using my Australian Wildlife Wisdom cards in the same way - visually much more attractive, the book isn't as perfectly laid out for the way I use them.

Animal Tarots ... what an odd idea. Aren't animals about oracles? <hides grin>

 

[blackroseivy]

The Power Animal Tarot - NOT!!

Ok ok, beating the poor dead pony to bitsies here... haha

 

[WolfSpirit]

Animal Tarots ... what an odd idea. Aren't animals about oracles? <hides grin>

Yes I agree, there are more oracles with animals than tarots, ans I tend to use the tarots as oracles too.
And I think some of the animal tarots are actually humans that look like animals. They even wear human clothes