The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Guidebook

by Kim Krans

Written and illustrated by Kim Krans, the The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Guidebook offers more than 200 pages of grounded, easy to understand explanations of the cards and a detailed look at the many spreads, practices and concepts that power the Animal Spirit deck.

Genres: Tarot, Nonfiction, Reference, Witchcraft, Spirituality, Animals, Occult

200 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2016

About the author

Kim Krans is an artist, author, and the creator of The New York Times bestseller, The Wild Unknown Tarot. Her publications include ABC Dream, 123 Dream, Hello Sacred Life, and the Animal Spirit Deck and Guidebook. Along with husband and collaborator Arjan Miranda, Kim curates The Wild Unknown, an arts collective offering publications, artwork, music, and events that activate the forces of creativity and radical transformation.

Her work has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, NYLON, Teen Vogue, Design*Sponge, and Marie Claire. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Find more of Kim's artwork, creations, and other modern tools for self-reflection through her website, www.thewildunknown.com.

Reviews

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest: the thing that really drew me to this deck was the fact that it includes a lot of overlooked animals. All too often, I've handled animal decks that only focus on "charismatic megafaunas" and nothing else. As my animal guide is the spotted hyena, I'm always on the lookout for things that feature them and when I saw that this deck features the hyena in a positive light, that sealed the deal. There are also cards featuring vultures, scorpions, bats, spiders and other misunderstood animals. Of course, you also have lovely big cats, deer, birds and other outliers like fire ants. In other words, there's a really good mix of diverse animals here as well as some mythological archetypes such as the unicorn and phoenix.

The artwork is lovely and the card stock is a smooth, semi-glossed matte that works great with both overhand and a rifle shuffle. My favourite cards are the ones like the crocodile and stingray that are mostly black and white but have an elegant splash of colour. On a personal note, I have really small hands and the cards are just the right size for me to comfortably shuffle.

I like how each animal is described in a positive way in the guidebook. I think it's really important that people re-frame their viewpoint on "less desirable" animals and recognise their importance in not only the ecosystem, but in spirituality, too.

The only thing I'm not so sure about is some of the elements for certain animals (I get the logic for putting all birds into the air category, but I think it's a bit of an oversimplification). I would have also preferred for each animal to have been listed alphabetically within their respective element section.

Overall, though, I really love working with this deck and I think it has a very broad appeal. It's really good to see a mass-market deck with such nice production!

[Barbara LeMere · Rating 5 out of 5]

For people who enjoy working with the Tarot, i have to say that I absolutely love this deck. the artwork is beautiful, the imagery easy to understand and the accompanying book gives an interpretation of the energies that I really can relate to. I find this a deck that brings you back into contact with the natural world, something we are hugely missing in our modern busy lives. I find myself gravitating to this deck quite often. I'm very choosy about the decks I work with. I have to really feel a connection to their symbolism and design. I'd rather have five decks that I really love and understand than 50 decks that I don't relate to or feel a connection with. Sometimes less is more.

[Judy Croome · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the artwork. I love the way the animals are drawn. I love the colour scheme - so effective and mysterious. I love the inclusion of magical & less popular animals. The card size and card stock are great, and the cards have a wonderful feel to them.

What I don't love is the guidebook. I understand the division into "elements" - but why on earth weren't the animals in each element listed in alphabetical order? This is also done in the The Druid Animal Oracle but at least there's an index in the front which makes it a little easier to find the animal. In this deck, there is no discernible order for the user of this deck to follow.

I was also disappointed in the guidebook explanations for each animal. I couldn't connect with them and have found myself ignoring the guidebook and using other animal spirit references such as Animal-Wise: The Spirit Language and Signs of Nature and Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews and Steven D Farmer's "Spirit Animals" to give me more understanding of the animal.

The guidebook for this deck is disappointing after the profound guidebook that came with the brilliant The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck and Guidebook.

[Jessica Wagstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the thought that went into this deck and the card descriptions and meanings. I stayed up all night looking at the cards and reading about the animals. I especially love the tips for bringing a particular animal's energy into balance, all of which would be great advice to follow to live a well-balanced life.

[David Verhaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tool. I love reading my cards in the mornings! Gets me off to a great start! It's crazy how spot on iptheycan be. If you aren't a believer they probably won't work for you. You have to be open and have faith for them to work for you.
Love that the guide book shows different ways to read the cards and shuffle and how to be with the deck during and before.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Wild Unknown! It’s my favorite tarot deck and I’m excited to begin working with the oracle deck as well!

[Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this deck! It's absolutely gorgeous! Especially adore the 'ether' elementals. The first one I drew was Phoenix. Damn, am I feeling it.

[L.J. Bus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drawings are beautiful, the chosen animals are interesting. Whether you want to use the deck for readings or just for yourself, I think the book is a very interesting addition either way. It was fascinating to read just why Kim would choose these animals and why not others. It has only animals living in the wild but has the bigger cat species (tiger, panter, lion) and the dog-like Wolf cards for those who want to use these pet animals in their decks. This is the “Wild Animal” deck so I think it makes perfect sense to not include pets. And for those who want to use these to do readings, it has 4 suits like the minor arcana (earth, water, air and fire) and a sort of hierarchy within each suit instead of the numbers within each suit (just saying what is written in the book for those of you that wish to know this before buying these) and has 7 of the spirit cards, the more mythical beings and instead of a sort of major arcana, there are only 7 of these “spirit” cards so each one coresponds to each of the seven chakra’s. Quite interesting but can’t say anything else because I have nothing to compair them with.
But to conclude: I found the book fascinating and love using the cards (personal use only) as well, could place everything that came forth with these very well so I’m quite happy with these

[Olivia VanDamme · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend Sarah bought this deck for me after we saw it together at a coffee shop and pulled some cards for support. I appreciate Tarot readings and this was a great deck for a beginner like me to use for annual readings, birthday readings for friends, and weekly. I re-read the opening pages this week & I loved this quote “These cards are about receiving guidance from the natural world that helps us navigate the complexity of life. We are multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, contradictory, creative and amazing beings.” I also really appreciate on page 54-55 “The Nature Connection” where Kim says, “At some point along your journey with the Animal Spirit cards I hope you will put the guidebook down and forget all the esoteric animal interpretations you may have read online or been told by someone in the past. Remember for a moment that these creatures exist in the wild. They surround us… these creatures are out there as we speak, being fully and completely themselves. Studying them through a biological lens will deepen your relationship to these cards.” The encouragement to build relationships with the more than human world, to observe, ask questions, and put previous assumptions aside is so refreshing and exciting for me as a scientist and naturalist. I have enjoyed this deck & hope to continue to use it for many years to come.

[Michael Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first encountered this book and deck when I worked at a long-term mental health facility in Denver. The art therapists used these cards to help the residents to express and explain how they were feeling.

I now use them while working at ZooMT managing the gift shop. We have many of the animals that are in the deck, so it’s great when I can be a sibling to one of our own animals (red pandas, owls, otters, tigers just to list a few) even if just to learn more from their diet, movement, and behavior.

A wonderful tool for slowing down, finding meaning, and helping open up your heart and mind.

[Lauren Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5⭐️

This oracle deck and guidebook is superb! The animal selection is very diverse, and it features animals that aren’t always popular.

The artwork is really unique and lovely, featuring a lot of pointalism and line work, combined with watercolour.

The book is well written and very insightful. I appreciated how all animals had an “in balance” and “out of balance” aspect.

I’ve done a couple of spreads with this deck, and it gave very accurate answers/guidance.

[Christine Hug · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es un libro, es una guía que acompaña las cartas de tarot y estoy enamoradísima de cómo está escrito, de las cartas y del reto de seguir auto-conociéndome❤️

Las cartas son preciosas y la guía súper completa, te explica cada carta, como mezclar, las posibles tiradas... ¡perfecto para una novata como yo!

Si os gusta el mundillo, son cartas perfectas para empezar😌

[Toni · Rating 1 out of 5]

The artwork of these cards is beautiful, even haunting.
The rest is, unfortunately for me, piffle. It was an impulsive purchase and at nearly $40, an expensive lesson. Maybe that was the lesson learned?
For me, it lacked the mojo, the power of other decks I've worked with.
Ah, well.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this deck. I feel so refreshed when I use it as opposed to tarot which can for the most part drain me. Art work is beautiful, i love how the Ether symbol shines and really makes it magical.

[Rylee Spayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely crazy. I just read this for a book and I have not played the game. This book truly makes me think. How are personalities are based on our spirit animals. I highly recommend playing the game and reading the book. 100% if you like to look at things from a different side.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might have liked a little more about how to interpret different cards in readings/spreads, especially the spirit cards, but otherwise I love the depth of information in this guide.

[locrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art, though I have my own associations with the animals that aren't quite the same as the author's.

[Liane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this deck. The messages are thoughtful and simple to meditate on. The illustrations are incredible. I wouldn’t hesitate, you’ll love this deck too!

[Robert Andrew Colin Hadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide book, a great deck of cards. What else is there to say?

[Fi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really love this deck. The book is good, but I find myself interpreting the cards without it, it’s been really good practice for intuitive reading. Plus the art is beautiful!

[Simona Mauliūtė · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this deck!!! It gives me magic feeling and path to flow through life.

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mijn laatste kaart, spirit, Golden Egg

[Sandra Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected the art to be a little more detailed. Still very cute though

[Mari the Illustrious · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soothes the soul. Spirit/Ether section has helped me get back to daily meditation practice :) Thank you Kim Krans!

[Susan Waller]

A beautiful set of tarot cards. These are a lovely gift.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this deck. The images are mostly awesome. Book is easy to read, simple, and to the point. Nice size and easy to shuffle.

[Narese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Kim krans, her cards, art, and guides is something to behold.

[Christina Ann Marie Adley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tarot deck, one of my favorites. Such amazing details!!

[Lauren Penner · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL! One of my top favorite decks. The art is amazing. I love it so much I bought the mini deck too. It also gives quick suggestions for bringing yourself into balance based on the cards’ energy.

[Sushila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a believer in the “higher power” of these cards, but I do find them a fun way to get in touch with your own feelings. The illustrations and the cards themselves are beautiful.