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Title: The Spiritual Meaning of Birds Oracle
Created by: Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Publisher: Adam’s Media / Simon and Schuster
Price: $22.99
Number of cards: 50
Card size: 3.5 × 5 in
Box size: 6 5/8 × 4 1/8 × 1.5 in approx
Guidebook pages: 128
Purchased or gifted?: review copy gifted by Adams Media
Absolute favorite card: Heron
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved): Egret, Turkey, Crane, Grouse, Quail, Partridge, Crow, Loon, Cormorant, Dove, Swift, Woodpecker
Notable detail:
Season: Spring
Sabbat: Ostara
Sign: Gemini / Virgo
Element: Air
Deck compliment: La Flora Tarot
Collective Pull: Hawk

Add to Your Altar

First Impressions

I think Arin Murphy-Hiscock has a really great style. All of her decks are beautiful and earthy and have that moody yet light style that is so good. I’ve never gotten a deck of hers and thought anything other than, this is beautiful. And of course, this deck is no exception. I love birds. I started bird watching several years ago when a hawk nest appeared in a large pine tree behind my house and I am happily in my bird watching era still. But I’ve always loved birds, even as a kid. In fact there’s a funny story about me and some ducks when I was two but I won’t get into that. The point is, my first impression is that there’s a lot to love about this deck, especially if birds are your thing. So let’s do it and dig in. And don’t forget to let me know if you’re going to add this deck to your altar.

The Packaging

The box is pretty. It doesn’t have bells and whistles or embellishments but it's still gorgeous. The design is pretty classic to Arin’s other decks but obviously done with birds this time. But it looks very similar to Green Witch Oracle if you have that one. Same matte printing, same slightly desaturated tones, and very similar art style.

Nothing’s printed inside of the box but it does have a striking light blue color that looks like the sky. Appropriate for a bird deck. The cards are of great quality. They’re pretty solid with a nice matte print to match the box. I have found them to be easy to shuffle and the images look like vintage art pieces. In fact, I may actually get another copy and frame some of the cards. They really are that pretty. But I’ll talk about art a little later in this review.

*Turkey with Audubon’s Birds of America Book*

The Guidebook

The book is done in full color with a nice vintage-like style. Inside you’ll find:

Introduction
Using your deck
Preparing for readings
How to use oracle cards
Six spreads
Card meanings
An index

The guidebook has “chapters” which made me smile. Chapters are not really a thing in deck guidebooks but I like it. And it makes sense because there is actually quite a lot in this guidebook. There’s instructions for dedicating your deck and a deck blessing. There’s a section for alternate uses of a deck which I love seeing. I keep saying, especially since starting my Modern Tarot series (which I send via email every Tuesday), that cards can be so much more than tools for divination.

I will definitely say that if you’re new to reading oracle, you basically have a small book that will definitely give you everything you need. There are a lot of spreads which I’m a fan of. I think I’ve put as many as 11 spreads in one deck so I’m always here for more rather than less. My favorite spread is called the Migration spread so be sure to check that one out. It’s the longest one with seven cards but I think it’s lovely.

For the meanings, you get the card name, a nearly full page image, keywords, bird genus, family, species or genera; card meaning and then where to find each bird. Or essentially their native habitat.

Theme

The theme for this one is pretty obvious. It explores birds, what they mean spiritually and how humans have connected with birds and by extension, the sky, for years. But it's also a really great way to get to know birds, especially ones that are not native to your area.

The Artwork

I’m kind of obsessed with the artwork but as far as I can tell, the vast majority of the images used are actually from John James Audubon who was a French naturalist and ornithologist. If you’re a frequent Barnes and Noble shopper, then you’ve probably seen Audubon’s Birds of America in the value section. But if not, you can see it here as the background of my photos.

He was alive in the 1800s so much of his images have that vintage, scientific style that you see swirling around Pinterest. The ones where the paper looks aged, there’s fancy script writing on the margins and Victorian like drawings. It’s very pretty and many love that style, myself included. I’m actually very interested in natural history. I am a member of several museums and botanical gardens and I make a point to visit at least one of both whenever I’m in a new city. So I already happened to have Audubon’s Birds of America.

“Bird divination has a long history, much of which has been lost because ancient culture rarely recorded their systems of divination. It is also a very fluid system that can vary from person to person and culture to culture. ”

So for me, it’s pretty easy to like these cards. They are super earthy. There’s a lot of greens, blues, browns, and creams. All of which are set against a light blue background that is reminiscent of the sky. There are so many cards that I love but Heron is my favorite, mostly because it's one of my favorite birds. But Egret is easily a close second. I think these birds are so majestic and regal.

I also really love Turkey. I have a weird thing with turkeys. I can’t tell you why but I love them so much. I really want a pet turkey. I know most of us just think of turkeys as food but I don’t really like eating turkey for one, and two, I think they’re beautiful. They remind me of earthier peacocks (they are actually in the same family) and yet I feel like they’re totally underrated by bird lovers.

Reading With this Deck

Reading with this deck reminds me of something my coffee reader, who has actually become a dear friend and second mother to me, told me when we first met. She looked into my cup and the very first thing she said is that I’m just not a domesticated person. That as much as I try, I’m not meant to be humble or dowdy or a stay at home kind of woman. That I would always need someone to do the domestic things like chores, paying the bills and maintaining the house while I create. The funny thing is, she lives on a hill and I cannot drive on hills. Don’t judge me ok. It’s a whole thing. But I drove there and I couldn’t part on the hill so my friend who came with me did it for me. And then of course, this is the first thing she says to me. Ok, so there’s the context.

Pretty much every card I’ve pulled from this deck has been reminiscent of that story. The first card that I pulled was Egret. The first keyword of which is stateliness. I’ve pulled this card the most actually. I’ve pulled magpie which told me to stop focusing on shiny things. I pulled cardinal which is about confidence. I pulled Turkey (which I was more than happy to see) which is about abundance and nourishment and allowing good things to come to you.

It just makes me laugh I guess. For such a long time, I tried everything in my power to prove that what she said wasn’t true. But lately, probably the past 18 months to two years, I’ve pushed myself to be comfortable with the fact that I am really not a domestic animal. I actually really like to clean, it helps me to clear my head and destress but everything else, I could happily do without. I hate paperwork and admin shit. I really, really do and I totally procrastinate on things like that.

I’m telling you all of this because for some reason, in working with these cards, I’ve become even more accepting of this part of who I am. And it honestly feels really freeing. I have felt a lot of guilt around this kind of thing, especially working in a spiritual community that often values minimalism and that’s just not me. I am truly a maximalist who cares about interior design. I am a wine snob and not just that I buy expensive wine. I’ve taken classes, regularly do tastings and have even considered becoming a licensed Sommelier. I love beautiful things and designer things. Somehow, these cards have helped me feel more ok with that. And have helped me to stop hiding it which is why I’m being so open about it here.

I think a good deck helps you to see yourself more clearly and that’s the experience I’ve had here.

Ready to get this deck?

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose spring. I could’ve leaned summer too but spring is what I think of when it comes to birds. Birdsong in the morning is often what I hear in those early days of March when spring is just starting to unfold. And I continue to hear birds all throughout the spring season. My backyard is covered in birds throughout spring too, far more than in summer. So for me, birds really represent springtime. But of course, different birds appear at different times. In November, I often see ducks flying south when I’m visiting my parents in the high desert of California. And I see hawks most often in July and early August. So I could easily make the case for spring to late fall.

I chose Ostara for the sabbat, again because I hear and see so many birds around that time. And of course birds eggs are commonly associated with Ostara. I chose both Gemini and Virgo for the zodiac sign. I might lean a little more towards Virgo as I associate birds with Virgo a little more. But in general, birds are associated with the air element which of course is associated with Virgo and Gemini. Also, birds are messengers so that naturally brings in Mercury which rules both signs. And Air is pretty much an obvious choice for the element.

Collective Pull

I pulled Hawk for you. This bird invites you to reconnect with nature. To turn away from the artificial as much as you can and lean towards what is naturally available from the earth. We have become a society that is dependent on plastic and heavily processed foods that our bodies were never meant to handle. And with that also comes a disconnection from the land. Rivers and streams are replaced with wi-fi. Trees and fresh air are being replaced with smog and pollution. You may not be able to turn around an entire system on your own but every little bit counts. If nothing else, this is your sign to open yourself up to mother nature’s wisdom. To be reminded that everything we actually need is available from earth mother herself. This is your invitation to remember that you can hear wisdom on the wind and find guidance in leaves. That the world around you is speaking to you clearly, when you learn how to listen.

Who is this deck for?

If you love birds, then you should already be checking out with this deck as you read this. It’s really just a beautiful bird deck that could easily become a classic. Or even if you’re a fan of animals, which of course includes birds, then I think this is a good one to have. And of course, if you’re a fan of Arin then you will likely love this one too.

Deck Companion

I chose La Flora Tarot. This is easily one of my favorite tarot decks of all time but I didn’t work with it for a couple of years. The artist moved to South America and told me she wasn’t going to produce them anymore but randomly a month or so ago (at the time of writing this) I got an email blast from her. So I think she’s bringing them back. I’ve continued to receive more newsletters from her over the past weeks so fingers crossed.

La Floral has that same vintage, 1800s illustration style that just matches this deck so well without one needing to compete with the other. There aren’t any birds in this deck but it’s full of plants which naturally have a crossover to birds and I felt like they speak the same language. I really hope this deck comes back and if it does, I will happy purchase a new copy and offer a review.