People across cultures and through the centuries have felt a spiritual, symbolic connection to animals. In The Illustrated Bestiary, author and spiritual wellness guide Maia Toll turns the insight and wisdom that birthed The Illustrated Herbiary — her best-selling volume on the mystical power of plants — to the animal kingdom. Through profiles highlighting 36 animals’ most meaningful traits, Toll explores how those qualities can illuminate our habits, guide our intentions, and inform our actions.

Spring Peeper’s ability to reemerge from frozen hibernation can inspire us to reinvent ourselves. Katydid’s five eyes can lend clarity of vision when we need to see the bigger picture. Rituals and reflections guide readers in cultivating each animal’s energy, while 36 oracle cards featuring art by Kate O’Hara further shape personal meditations. From the humble House Mouse to the magnificent Elephant, this beautifully illustrated guide to animal spirits provides new ways of connecting with the creatures that walk, crawl, slither, swim, and fly.