The Shaman Box Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I was provided a copy of this deck and book for an honest review.

Recently I received a copy of The Shaman Box by Nicholas Breeze Wood and Sarah Bartlett which contains a set of 36 animal oracle cards and a book introducing shamanism from Wieser Books to review. At first, I was a little hesitant to review such a product because most shaman practices belong to indigenous peoples and are therefore closed to those not of that culture or initiated into it. However, I decided to check the cards out after doing a little bit of research into Nicholas Breeze Wood. While he is a white man, Wood has been practicing shamanism since the 1980s after having been taught and initiated by shaman cultures around the world. The fact that he learned from and was initiated into these cultures put me more at ease about his book and the accompanying oracle cards designed by Sarah Bartlett.

First, let's review the book. Wood skims over shamanism, giving a brief description of the shamanic practices around the world. He touches on Native American, Siberian, and even European shaman practices. It was his touching on European shamanism that made my little hedgewitch heart sing. You see, hedgecraft is European shamanism and the practice of reaching an altered state of consciousness to speak with the spirits and cross into the Otherworld has long been practiced across Europe, it just wasn't called shamanism. Furthermore, Wood makes it very clear that you cannot learn shamanism from a book, which I greatly appreciated. Purchasing The Shaman Box will not make you a shaman, but that doesn't mean there aren't basic practices and theories that can be incorporated into your magical practice. Wood encourages the readers to integrate the common threads and themes that unite shamanism into your personal practice. I would caution that you pay close attention to the themes versus blatant cultural appropriation. There are some aspects of shamanism, such as smudging that are closed to those outside of the culture. That doesn't mean that the concept of smoke cleansing is closed. In fact, Wood's explanation of smoke cleansing is sound, and the advice well worth listening to. Overall, I enjoyed the short informational book in the box and wish there was more to it than there was.

The 36 animal oracle cards in the box are absolutely amazing. The animals included are from cultures around the world, with their meanings are written out clearly on the cards. The artwork is absolutely stunning and I was happy to see my animal guides, the fox and raven, were represented in the cards. These cards can be used in a variety of ways, including basic oracle spreads, spirit communication, and to plan your hedge riding journies. The only downside of the cards is that they are printed on rather flimsy cardstock. I would have liked to have seen these gorgeous images printed on heavy stock to prevent damage and make using the cards easier. They are going to wear out quickly, which is a shame.

Overall, I really liked The Shaman Box, even though I was hesitant to review it at first. As with any book or card set, be mindful of practices that may be closed to avoid cultural appropriation. Instead, focusing on the underlying magical themes, such as cleansing, respect, and meditation, that can be used across cultures. The Shaman Box by Nicholas Breeze Wood and Sarah Bartlett is available for purchase now.

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