Tuesday 19 March 2024

Divine Beloved Oracle Cards


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Divine Beloved Oracle Cards by Tosha Silver. Artwork by Lasha Mutual. Boxed set of 52 cards. Published by Hay House. RRP US $21.99 : Can $28.99 : UK £15.82

“Change me, Divine Beloved, into one who can allow Love to lead my life.”

Strong card quality, gentle, beautiful artworks, and loving prayers. All the information is given on the card faces which provide a title, subtitle, an image, and a few sentences of advice. Images are figurative, of nature and places of relaxation and beauty. Mostly women, of various cultures, traditions and races - of not exclusively youthful, slim frames - I enjoyed the artwork very much. 

The author invites us to use this oracle to address problems, connect to the Divine and invite Love into our lives. These cards call for a ‘shift’ towards our highest self. We can use the cards for ourself or to give others a few words of prayerful advice. I am using a card a day for a short prayer in the mornings. 

The Feminine Universe - An Extract

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Extract - The Feminine Universe - An Exposition of the Ancient Wisdom from the Primordial Feminine Perspective by Miss Alice Lucy Trent. Published by the Sun Daughter Press.

“When above the heavens had not been formed, when the earth below had no name, Tiamat brought forth them both. Tiamat,m mother of the gods, Creator of all.” 

From the Introduction: “This book is the first systematic exposition of the perennial wisdom. It is an attempt to express in the clearest possible terms, and in the smallest possible space, the primordial philosophy accepted and understood in all times, and an all places before the aberrations of the modern world. It gives this philosophy in its feminine form - that being the earliest known on Earth.

The Sacred Cycles Oracle


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Sacred Cycles Oracle by Jill Pyle & Em Dewey. Illustrations by Jessie White. Boxed set of 50 cards and Guidebook. Published by Hay House. RRP US $21.99 : Can $28.99 : £14.99

Reminding us that our own health cycles are natural. There are greater natural pulses, such as night and day, the seasons, the moon and sun rhythms, and these are linked to animals and plants and all other species. All cycles are sacred and have great wisdom. We bless these cycles and honour them through our knowledge and recognition. 

Information is provided on how to use these cards that can be used alone or with other card decks. We can give a reading to friends or use them ourselves. Instead of choosing a card at random, I worked with choosing a suitable card that represented a current cycle. I suggest the cards are for women, maybe a young woman just finding out about her own cycles. 

Spellcasting Oracle Cards


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Spellcasting Oracle Cards by Flavia Kate Peters & Barbara Meiklejohn-Free. Artwork by Lisbeth Cheever-Gessaman. Published by Hay House. Boxed set of 48 cards and Guidebook. RRP US $22.99 : Can $29.99 : £14.99 

Hail and Welcome!

Moon phases, candle magic, herbs and crystals, invocation and incantation, favourite spells and messages are here for you to use and enjoy, any day of the week! Practical tips are included, do’s and don’ts, directions and elements, how to cast a spell, steps to choosing a card and a selection of card spreads. The Guidebook provides magical guidance, a spell, and the meaning of choosing that card.

Saturday 16 March 2024

Healing Ancestral Karma

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Healing Ancestral Karma - Free Yourself from Unhealthy Family Patterns paperback £14.99 Kindle: £8.79 by Steven Farmer PhD Published by Hierophant Publishing. Author website: www.earthmagic.net

Westerners believe that anyone is capable of becoming a shaman but becoming a shaman is something that finds you, rather than you finding it! Melodies are given to the shaman in dreams. Singing them elevates consciousness and readjusts energy level and activates healing. Shamanism brings the Otherworld into this world and includes morality and also involves attending to the needs of the community. 

The Dance of Intimacy


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Dance of Intimacy - A Woman’s Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships by Harriet Lerner PhD. Published by Harper Collins. RRP US $14.00 : Can $20.00 

Author of The Dance of Anger, women and family relationship expert Harriet Lerner, helps to build self esteem, create boundaries, and improve our intimacy with this excellent book, another in the stable of this successful writer, magazine columnist and senior psychotherapist at the Menninger Clinic. She provides examples and case histories to illustrate her methods. How to create a Genogram is provided. 

A Mindful Evening


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: A Mindful Evening - Complete Each Day with a Calm Mind and Open Heart by David Dillard-Wright PhD. Full colour. RRP US $14.99 : Can $19.99 

This book offers a short write up with quotations from old and new writers to read at night before sleep. Whatever your thoughts of the day, put them to one side with a reading from this book to uplift and put you in a good mood at bedtime. Slow down, reflect on good things in life. Much needed good advice and tips on a healthy mind set! 

David Dillard-Wright is a doctor of philosophy, religion and ethics who studied under the Trappist monastery tradition of contemplative prayer which he coupled with Eastern practices. He is the author of several books on mindfulness and meditation. 

Friday 15 March 2024

Sky Shamans of Mongolia


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Sky Shamans of Mongolia - Meetings with Remarkable Healers by Kevin Turner, paperback, 210 pages published by North Atlantic Books, £19.99 kindle £15.19 Website: http://www.shamanism-asia.com

Kevin Turner MA travelled extensively throughout this region, and this book has colour photographs and other illustrations of his travels. The ancient shamanistic traditions and practices are being revived in this area after Buddhist and Russian Communist oppression. Many ancient healing methods have been retained and are now being re introduced in the country districts. If you are interested in shamanism, you will find some gems here. 
Review: Wendy Stokes www.wendystokes.co.uk

Holistic Tarot



Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Holistic Tarot – An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth by Benebell Wen published by North Atlantic Books
Licensed Attorney specialising in venture capital and global investments, qualified Tarot Master, Benebell Wen is a member of the American Tarot Association and the Tarot Association of the British Isles. She is a Feng Shui consultant, I Ching practitioner, numerologist and an astrology enthusiast.
With these impressive credentials, Holistic Tarot is highly academic but also very practical. It is a comprehensive textbook for those who wish to use tarot for professional purposes. The recommendations for this book come from the echelons of our greatest tarot experts, such as Kat Black Liz Dean, Barbara Moore, Bonnie Cehovet and many more who have written extensively on tarot, some even creating their own decks.  

The Twelve Faces of the Goddess


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Twelve Faces of the Goddess - Transform Your Life with Astrology, Magick, and the Sacred Feminine by Danielle Blackwood. Published by Llewellyn Worldwide. $19.99 

This book profiles 12 goddesses, one for each of your astrological sun sign. Each sun sign Goddess has a full explanation, a pathworking and a ritual. The topics covered in the text are: archetypes, archetypal astrology, the shadow, recipes, and which Goddess represents which sun sign. Astrological elements, modes, space clearing, music, the Wheel of the Year, casting a circle, and creating an altar are detailed. The Heroine’s Journey is a new horizon in our life with the development of our authenticity, the claiming of our connection to the Goddess, and the living out of our soul’s mission with passion and purpose. We will find the fierce face of Macha, the depth of Inanna or the compassion of Kwan Yin. 

Tarot of the Moors


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Tarot of the Moors by Gina G Thies. Published by REDFeather, Boxed set of 78 cards plus guidebook, £28.99

Illustrated and created by Gina G Thies who is Editor and Columnist for Tarot Tips of the Tarot School. She is a member of American Tarot Association and Tarot Professionals. She is also the co-host of Oracle Soup podcasts and has produced Tarot for Pink, and Triumph of Life Tarot, and the book Tarot Coupling.  
 

For each of the Major Arcana cards, the information provided is the image, the numbers in Roman Numerals, a title, esoteric title, astrological, element, Hebrew letter, Path, other keywords and a Basic Interpretation of 50 words, for example: The Chariot, Esoteric Title: The Child of the Powers of the Waters, the Lord of Triumph of Light. Astrological: Cancer. Element, Cardinal Water. Hebrew Letter - Cheth. Path 18th House of Influx. Core Keywords, Victory, Success, Competition, Contest, Motivation. Basic Interpretation: Upright - You have the will and the want to achieve anything you set out to accomplish. Having the trust and confidence of peers and community. Finding enjoyment in racing or other high-risk activities. Reversed, Misuse of authority. Defeat. Lack of control and the absence of willpower.

Alexander Arbachakov and the Shor Shamans




Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Last of the Shor Shamans by Alexander and Luba Arbachakov published by Moon Books. Lyn Roberts introduces this book as she visited the area to meet tribal elders of Tuva and Altae region with Bill Pfeiffer, founder of the Sacred Earth Network. 


Alexander Arbachakov is a native of the Shor region of Siberia and raised in a traditional village in the area. He is a photographer, an environmentalist, a local conservationist and a forestry specialist and he is Vice President of the Shortsi People’s Association. His co-author is Luba Arbachaka from a remote mountain farming area. She is an environmentalist, a folklorist and language specialist.

Thursday 14 March 2024

Cave and Cosmos

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Cave and Cosmos - Shamanic Encounters with Another Reality by Michael Harner, paperback 301 pages £15.58, Kindle £10.50 published by North Atlantic Books. www.shamanism.org

The late Prof Harner was one of the earliest pioneers, advocates and investigators of indigenous cultures and he repackaged them for Western consumption making shamanism a popular healing method. His followers describe him as a 'shamans' shaman' on account of his vast travelling and study of this subject matter as both an academic and a practitioner. The advantages of sharing his personal experiences is that he provides a glimpse into the nature of indigenous shamanism. Shamanism was his life long passion and this book is the sequel to his classic book The Way of the Shaman, upon which he made his name as a dedicated researcher. 

Dark Nights of the Soul


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Dark Nights of the Soul - A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life's Ordeals by Thomas More. Published by Piatkus. £10.99 

A quest for the meaning of life can occur at any time but mostly it occurs during the most difficult times in our life, at a time of loss, illness, or distress. Written by a Catholic monk and psychotherapist, this book brings comfort and inspiration to the seeker who is facing major life challenges and seeking answers. 
It takes us through the night sea journey, rites of passage, the underworld, love and other emotions, ways of coping and our learning about ourselves and others. 
This is a classic, a resource, a tour de force and a luxury. To be read at any time, it is a major work on this deep and painful place that some find themselves in and need to make sense of. 
Thomas Moore is the author of the bestselling Care of the Soul. 

The Hoodoo Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Hoodoo Tarot - 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers by Tayannah Lee McQuillar. Drawer pull presentation box containing card and book. Published by Destiny Books. US: $35 CAN: $ 43.99 UK: £17.50

American occult and esoteric syncretism is combined with native species plant lore, and words from the Judeo-Christian Bible, alongside personalities drawn from history, myths and storytelling. They all feature in this fascinating deck of cards. I liked the personalisations. We are introduced to selected characters that I found I got to know through my imagination as much as their introduction by the deck creator Tayannah Lee McQuillar.

The Healing Power of Illness


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Healing Power of Illness - Understanding What Your Symptoms are Telling You by Thorwald Dethlefsen and Dr Rudiger Dahlke. Published by Vega Publishing. RRP US $14.95 : Can $22.95 : UK £9.99 

This is an alternative to allopathic medicine, it looks at illness as though it is a symptom of a psychological condition that carries a message for us. When we change our consciousness, we create greater balance and harmony rather than excess, and the thinking that creates the symptom - that creates illness - will change. All kinds of illnesses are explained, including infection, disease of body organs, even our sexuality, and accidents. We are introduced to thoughts that govern our health, including good and evil, addictions, cancer, etc. 

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Rage


Mind Body & Soul Ezine: Rage - Sources of Rage, Strategies for Dealing with Rage by Helen Robinson. Published by Geddes. RRP US $11.95 : Can $15.95 : UK £4.95 

We are familiar with many types of extreme anger that can result in all kinds of tragedy. Ungovernable anger surrounds us. This book asks a lot of important questions and has a number of interesting responses. We are given strategies to deal with anger, in ourselves or in another person. Bottling up our anger is unhealthy. By dealing with our own internal distress we can become more organised, have better relationships, and be more fully functioning. 

There are a host of topics in this book of anger wisdom. Every page has very important information to share and you will be an expert on this subject by the time you get to the end of the book. You will learn so much from this book, written by Helen Robinson, who is well qualified to write it from a perspective of experience and training. 

This Tragic Gospel


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: This Tragic Gospel - How John Corrupted the Heart of Christianity by Louis A Ruprecht JR. Published by Wiley. Hardback. RRP US $24.95 : Can $26.99 

I was intrigued by the title of this book. St John’s Gospel is critiqued and compared to the synoptic Gospels by this very eminent academic. Did St John’s Gospel hope to supersede the three earlier gospels? Did John re-frame a very important event in the life of Jesus? Did John’s Gospel create a different emphasis on Christianity than the one we most accept? How much manipulation took place and how are we to live as Christians with such deep divisions and questions posed by today’s world? 

It’s good to ask questions and come up with new ideas. The New Testament is a very creative space. 

The Forgotten Gospels


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Forgotten Gospels - Life and teachings of Jesus supplementary to the New Testament. This new translation is published in hard back by Constable & Robinson, edited and compiled by Tim Newton. 

This fascinating and thorough book identifies key texts, many of which are tiny fragments, but are the most significant outside of the New Testament. Each is explained and newly translated. There are two unknown gospels, plus gospels of the Ebionites, Hebrews, Nazareans, Egyptians, Thomas, Secret Gospel of Mark, Miscellaneous sayings of Jesus, Clement of Rome’s sayings of Jesus, Quadratus, Papias, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Julius Africanus, and many other important texts. In addition, the chronology of texts, sources, the family of Herod, Christianity and the family of Jesus are included, and a suggested genealogy of Jesus. Though many are not ‘forgotten’ but more accurately lost and re found, these are not as we think of as gospels, but fragments of sayings and reported moments in the lives of Jesus and his disciples. The Forgotten Gospels has a long introduction, with maps and a glossary. I really enjoyed this book! Recommended. 

Overcoming Traumatic Stress


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book review: Overcoming Traumatic Stress - A Self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioral Tecnhniques by Dr Claudia Herbert and Ann Wetmore. Published by Constable & Robinson. 

This is a useful workbook using the Cognitive Behavioural Approach to heal and remedy dysfunctional patterns as a result of excessive stress and trauma. The book helps those who are in deep distress to understand reactions and  learn methods to cope and move towards recovery. Many emotions are dealt with, such as guilt,, shame and lack of confidence. Charts are provided to help with regular self care, sleeping, etc. There is a useful book land contact list provided.. 

Ancestral Healing Review and Extract


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Ancestral Healing - for Your Spiritual and Genetic Families by Jeanne Rutland & Shantidevi. Published by Earthdancer (an Inner Traditions Imprint). RRP US $15.99 : Can $19.99 

The book begins with an instruction by Jeanne Rutland. This book uses practical exercises, meditation, journeying and rituals using Hawaiian Huna, trauma and shadow work, shamanic and energetic traditions that pertain to Aumakua spiritual ancestors, your higher self and your forebears that can go back thousands of years. Repressed emotions, family secrets, betrayals, injustices, unfulfilled lives, distress and illness can be handed down the generations. The Aumakua and other terms are explained. Love and gratitude are at the core of this book.

Text from the introduction:

The Road to Eleusis


Mind Body & Soul Ezine: The Road to Eleusis - Unveiling the Secret of The Mysteries by the late R Gordon Wasson, the late Dr Albert Hofmann, and Prof Carl A P Ruck. Published. By North Atlantic Books. RRP US $18.95 : Can $22.00 

There are a few b/w images in this book, but mostly you will be impressed with the number of detailed notes on every page written by the three very eminent authors. A Greek initiatory and secret ritual, performed as early as 2000BC every September is the subject of this book which has already been published in previous editions. The Homeric Hymn is translated in over 16 pages describing the story of Persephone and her mother, Demeter. Two families supervised the over night proceedings in the Eleusidean Telesterion. It majors in the use of kykeon, a hallucinogen, and deals with the resultant controversy. The opening chapter is about the use of hallucinogens in religious ceremonies and it continues with autobiographical stories by the late Gordon Wasson, his early interest in mushrooms and the praises that he, and others, sing about them. Plato had drunk the mushroom potion and spent the night in the Eleucidean Temple to see visions.

The deadly Ergot was known in the Middle Ages as St Anthony’s Fire, as St Anthony was the patron saint of those who cared for its victims. Was it this that infected the wheat, barley, and rye? Now it has been synthesised into effective medication for numerous ailments. A chapter is provided Albert Hofmann,  the pharmacologist who developed LSD. 

The Goddess Changes


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Goddess Changes - A Personal guide to Working with the Goddess by Felicity Wombwell.  

The late Felicity Wombwell was well qualified to write a book about the Goddess in many of her major divine feminine roles, alchemical, Grecian, Celtic, Dianic and she was also an ecologist and campaigned for women’s mysteries, traditions and rights. She was a priestess of the Fellowship of Isis where she was a Priestess of Astraea and she has written and spoken extensively on many specialist subjects. The Changing Goddess is the weaving goddess that becomes twelve and all are explained in the easy to read text. The author gives much personal perspective and personal, intimate history which is to stimulate the reader to embark on their own research. Her own search for the goddess began by reading The Spiral Dance by Starhawk which she read in a day. There is meaning and strength in being a woman! 

Daily Kabbalah


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Daily Kabbalah - Wisdom from the Tree of Life by Rabbi Gershom Winkler. Published by North Atlantic Books. RRP US $17.95 : Can $22.00 

Providing an inspirational reading for each day of the year, this book has original and rare writings and stories from the Jewish mystical oral traditions. 

I love a daily meditational and study topic. Each morning upon awakening, a few sentences are sufficient to motivate me on my spiritual path. Sometimes at night, I will refer back to that page and re-read it and often notice that something happened during the day to which that day’s reading gave insight. 

This is a wonderful book of wisdom. It is full of calm understanding, many truths about life, and it draws our attention to what is beautiful, good and caring. 

Curanderismo Soul Retrieval


Mind Body & Soul Ezine: Curanderismo Soul Retrieval - Ancient Shamanic Wisdom to Restore the Sacred Energy of the Soul by Erika Buenaflor MA JD. Published by Bear & Co. RRP US $18.00 : Can $22.50 

The author is well qualified to write a book on this topic as she has a Master’s Degree in religious studies, specialising in Mesoamerican shamanism from the University of  California. She has studied and practised Curandera and ancient shamanic healing traditions of Mexico, Maya and Peru for more than 20 years. In this book there is a step by step guide to Curandera soul retrieval method. Soul theft, fragmentation, etc., require trance journeying into the Underworld, Middleworld and Upperworld to locate and reintergrate the soul. 

The soul is explained, how trauma affects the soul, and the physical and mental illness that can result. Breathwork, dance, intoning and chanting, and hand postures, and pressure points are explained. The five cardinal directions are explained as a portal to the Otherworlds. Contemplative exercises are included with animal guardians and meditations help the process. 

Tuesday 12 March 2024

The Sacred Path Beyond Trauma


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Sacred Path Beyond Trauma - Reaching the Divine Through Nature’s Healing Symbols by Ellen B Macfarland PhD. Published by North Atlantic Books. RRP US $16.95 : Can $20.00

Written from a Jungian perspective, this text book is for therapists and for the person who wishes to be a healer and work with healing symbols, such as horses, dolphins, wolves, and trees. All terms and concepts are explained in the opening chapter. Depth Psychology, emotions, dualistic thought, imagination, the unconscious mind, are all part of this recovery method. Myths, fictional and real life stories, including her own personal experience are used to give examples of how negative and painful trauma thinking styles can be transformed, mitigated, honed and aligned with greater understanding of positive mental health and life style. 

Jesus, Last of the Pharaohs

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Jesus, Last of the Pharaohs - The Israelite Pharaohs of Egypt by Ralph Ellis, 370 pages paperback and kindle formats. Edfu Books. 

A thorough study of the Biblical and Egyptological records leading to a redefining of the patriarchs of the Old and New Testaments. The author suggests that Jesus was the last of a line of Egyptian kings. There is a parallel between the exodus from Egypt and the Hyksos pharaohs leaving Egypt. The author suggests that the royal line of Jews was in fact the Hyksos dynasty which came originally from Egypt.  Therefore Jesus, as of the royal line of King David, would have been of this ancestry and was a rebel leader. The author also uncovers the life of Saul (aka Paul of Tarsus) as the historian, Josephus Falvius. He suggests that Jesus was the governor of Tiberias and owned a castle there and died during the 70AD siege and not in crucifixion in 33AD. In his sequel to this book, and whilst working on “Jesus, the Last of the Pharaohs”, the author found an ancient Egyptian stele with a Biblical quote about a conference that organises the exodus. He put this discovery into “The Tempest and the Exodus”. Other discoveries are the site of Mount Sinai and Mount Ararat. Interesting? Yes! Very! 

The Coming of the Holy Grail


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Coming of the Holy Grail by Claire Nahmad. 

This book, by author Claire Nahmad, explains what the ‘Holy Grail’ is, how it was created, whether it was stolen, rescued, hidden for safekeeping, and whether and how it can be recovered. The time has arrived for all to be revealed about a new world order that cherishes all life on our planet. Brought to the author from the angels who revealed divine truth, the Great Mother was the Great Originator/Creator, and contained a masculine principle within herself. This is extremely important understanding, as when one accepts the female as the Creative Intelligence, one automatically sees within the natural world fecundity, growth, development, colour, beauty, joy, resilience, strength and other powers and energies that are needed to save our planet from extinction. 

The Art of Ritual



Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review - The Art of Ritual - A Guide to Creating and Performing Your Own Rituals for Growth and Change by Renee Back and Sydney Barbara Metrick. Published by Celestial Arts. 

Rituals are explained, the purpose, relevance, power and need for it. The myths that surround it, symbolism, sacredness, grounding, our tools and keeping them sacred, our altars, seasonal rites, etc,m are all covered. We are given 10 guidelines to assist us in creating our own rituals with a useful worksheet, the making of vows, and affirmations. Examples are added, the elements are detailed, and explanations are offered to integrate our ritual experiences. Ritual allows to register and commemorate important times in our life. I liked the ritual for planetary healing. There is a Winter and a Spring ritual provided as a guide. There is advice on depression, for teenagers, and a ‘stop smoking’ and ‘divorce’ ritual! I hope there will be lots of mature applications found. A glossary of terms is at the back of the book. 

Sunday 10 March 2024

Understanding the Messages of Your Body

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Understanding the Messages of your Body - How to Interpret Physical and Emotional Signals to Achieve Optimal Health by Jean-Pierre Barral DO, paperback 240 pages, published by North Atlantic Books £17.99 Author website: http://www.barralinstitute.com/

This is written by the academic expert in this field, and written for professionals more than the average reader. If you are a beginner, I suggest you watch some of the excellent videos which are available from the Barral Institute's YouTube channel. 

The information in the book provides explanations of how to access wisdom from our body, as though our body is speaking to us, warning and applauding our life style, intake of foods, exercise, etc.


The Mysteries of Merlin


Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Mysteries of Merlin - Ceremonial Magic for the Druid Path by John Michael Greer. Published by Llewellyn Books. RRP: US $18.99 : UK £15.99 

This is a book of ceremonial magic that will take you through the steps of self-initiation based on Druidry and pagan deities. It’s foundation is three degrees that are taken throughout the year, the Ovate, the Bardic and the Druid. Merlin is used as a deity symbol for spiritual growth, and his legend is provided within the text. Magical influences from the Golden Dawn and modern witchcraft are included, with detailed instructions, building an altar, rituals, meditations, exercises, summoning and banishing with the pentagram, and the use of the tree of life is the basis of spiritual teaching. 

Merlin

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Merlin - Priest of Nature by Jean Markale. Published by Inner Traditions. Translated from French into English by Belle N Burke.

Jean Markale is the pen name of Jean Bertrand, a Celtic scholar and teacher. He used original material to question the many stories that exist about this mysterious character; Did Merlin ever live? Was he a magician? Was he a major player in a royal court, such as Arthur’s Camelot? Can a person with a magical persona be psychoanalysed?

All Markale’s books are well researched, comprehensive and deeply passionate as he channels in his writing, a deep love of his subjects! The literary and historical texts are examined in detail. Merlin is an enigmatic and compelling character, a spell caster, poet, fool and shaman, a man who lived after the time of Arthur in sixth century Scotland. He is an archetypal divine representation of the rustic madman who resides in a sacred forest clearing as a hermit living with the fairy queen, Vivian or Gwendydd, the Lady of the Lake, at his side as his companion. Markale does not shy away from controversial subjects such as ‘sacred’ incest! Merlin is a person who lived close with nature, knowing the animals, plants, the springs and deities of the forest. His philosophy is relevant for today. It is one of universal brotherhood, enlightenment, a respect for nature, a love of his companion, and one who sees and speaks truth and justice.  

Saturday 9 March 2024

Love and Rage


Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Love and Rage - The Path of Liberation Through Anger by Lama Rod Owens. Published by North Atlantic Books. RRP US $17.5 : Can $23.95 : UK £14.99

There are several definitions of love and of anger and examples are given for these emotions. Written by the co-author of Radical Dharma, we are guided, using philosophy, meditation, exercises, breathing, and other Buddhist practices, to contemplative steps that look deeply at these subjects, not to bypass them or excuse them, but to find understanding and the love to transmute the rage into something palatable, something related to health and well-being. 

Using the authors own experience, we are invited to share his journey and hear how he has used mindfulness and compassion to transform his woundedness into acceptance and self care, kindness and manageable emotions. We are referred to as ancestors in training, so we hand on our learning and wisdom of dealing with difficult events in our life to the next generations. 

Friday 8 March 2024

Elen of the Ways


Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Shaman Pathways -Elen of the Ways - Following the Deer Trods by Elen Sentier. 89 pages Author website: www.elensentier.co.uk


Painting by Jocelyn Chaplin
“In the Boreal woods that covered northern Europe and the Americas thousands of years ago, there seemed to have been an honouring of the deer family as having great spiritual power and this has continued to this day in many parts of the world, for instance, with the Reindeer still play a central practical and spiritual role for the Sami peoples of Northern Scandinavia. Reindeer are the only female deer with antlers and, as such, may have been, and could still be, especially sacred. The author argues that hunter gatherers would not have seen animals as good or bad as later people did. They would have been deeply respectful and attuned to all of them. Elen Sentier describes an extraordinary encounter with a female deer which was giving birth and she is able to tune in to the energies of the land and of animals and weaves her own personal experience with stories, myths, facts and theories. 

Jailbreaking the Goddess


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Jailbreaking the Goddess - Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality - by Lasara Firefox Allen, published by Llewellyn Publications, paperback 267 pages US $22.99
This is a deconstruction guide for all you have been told about goddess spirituality and provides new language expertise to express the feminine. Challenging the reproductive model of maiden, mother and crone, this revision ing provides a 5 stage rather than 3 stage model: Fomella, Potens, Creatrix, Sapienyptia, Antigua. Many childless feminists will identify with this path. Colonial and patriarchal language is challenged to reclaim women’s spirituality which heralds a new paradigm, updates the pre existing culture. 

Wild Woman Rising Review


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Wild Woman Rising - An Oracle Deck by Angi Sullins with artwork by Jena DellaGrottaglia. Published by U S Games Systems Inc. Boxed set of 44 gilt edged cards, a full colour guidebook and an organza drawstring card pouch. $26.95

Find the truth, eat the fruit, unmask the myth, let it burn!’ ‘Many say the end is near; the truth is, the beginning is here!’ 

Sample reading: Dig Deep 24 : She has deep roots, they say of the rising woman. Roots that cannot possibly come from this Earth alone. Through honeycomb and loam, sap and sunlight, and the rich, fertile soil of soul, we are connected to the world tree - the great source that pulses through all worlds, both seen and unseen. When we feel disconnected or disconcerted, our first step towards wholeness is tapping into our root source. When we reconnect inwardly to the source of life, Wild Woman rises!  

The book begins with a poem to “unmask a myth”. It’s an attractive and strong box which has golden highlights and a magnetic clasp. Inside the box is a black bag for the cards which has yellow gold edges. 

The Divine Feminine Oracle


 
Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Divine Feminine Oracle by Megan Watterson, Pack contains 53 cards plus booklet, published by Hay House. £15.99 


"For embodying love"
Each card bears an image of a young woman with a title, subtitle and affirmation. Further information is contained in the booklet about each card image. Saints, mystics, gurus, goddesses throughout the world portray divine feminine energies which aid self empowerment and help your discovery of your own answers to questions. Megan Watterson has a relationship with each 'sacred lady' and asks readers to develop their own relationship with the cards which can be developed through reading and meditation on each card. Our story might contain understanding not known to the author. The booklet provides an invocation, and each card carries a question and an intention.

All ages can enjoy working with these cards, though the photographs and computer graphics suggest it is a young woman's deck.

 

The Sacred Feminine Anthology


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Voices of the Sacred Feminine – Conversations to Re-Shape Our World, Edited by Rev Dr Karen Tate, Published by Changemakers Books. paperback £10.38 400 pages 
This is an anthology of specially chosen articles from keynote speakers, authors and activists who are supportive of the Divine Feminine, each article is between 400 – 1,000 words in length and a short autobiography of the contributor follows each article. All articles cover some aspect of the goddess and are derived from many cultures, for instance, sacred activism, social change, planetary welfare, healing, empowerment and mutual support, in addition to challenges to major patriarchal religions. Worship of the Divine Feminine fills many a gap in general religious thoughts and fails to promote women to positions of power and influence or to recognise the importance of the many benefits that are offered from honouring matriarchal spirituality. Amongst the articles are several interviews which have been aired on the radio broadcast by the presenter Karen Tate. Several of the articles are written from a US perspective but where-ever one is in the world, one can gain something from each and every contribution provided. I have not provided each of the article titles but just idea/s that caught my eye which I thought worthy to mention.  

The Book of Hygge


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Book of Hygge  - The Danish Art of Living Well, hardback by Louisa Thomsen Brits. Full colour Hardback. Published by Ebury Press RRP £12.99 

We are provided with a definition of the term “hygge” and how to pronounce it (hue-gah) and a wonderful write-up by the author of this exceptional way of being. The Introduction gives several quotes that describe how to live harmoniously and contentedly. The history of this Danish practice is interesting and the word derivation describes how the word originated. Hygge involves a sense of belonging, togetherness, trust, being in the moment, being yourself, equality, comfort, connection, ease, pleasure, simplicity, balance, optimism, wellbeing, informality, nourishing, welcoming, all these enjoyments and more. How to do it? 

Amazing Women Cards Review




AMAZING WOMEN CARDS 45 inspirational cards by Mara Pala and Vicky Benaim. 
Illustrated by Josefina Schargorodosky. Boxed set of 45 Cards and full colour Guidebook. Published by Watkins Publishing. ISBN 9781-1-78678-822-1   RRP UK £19:99

Welcome Spring and the Divine Feminine with this delightful inspirational set of cards . Each card features a remarkable woman  who has helped to shape the history of humanity. The introduction highlights how we are familiar with men who have made history, and here we have a selection of accomplished women who are prominent historical fugures. This oracle card set is about honouring women from history and empowering modern women. 

The Goblin Market Tarot




Mind Body & Soul Ezine Tarot Card Deck Review: The Goblin Market Tarot - In Search of Faery Gold by John Matthews with artwork by Charles Newington. Boxed set of 80 cards and Guidebook, published by Watkins Publishing. £22.99 

This tarot deck is loosely inspired by the dreamlike poem The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti (sister of Dante Gabriel) and was written in 1862 when she was 32 years old. It is a poem of innocence, temptation, indulgence, redemption and sacrifice. You will find it rich in wild abandon, naked naughtiness, witchy wonder, charms, spells, mystery, mischief, strangeness and forbidden secrets, with fruits, vines and flowers, in mossy glades and forest streams, and with enjoyable, witty and sometimes tricky and fancy characters that are easy to bring to life in your readings! 

The Abundance of Less

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book review: The Abundance of Less - Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan by Andy Couturier. Published by North Atlantic Books. RRP US $19.95 : Can $25.95 

This is an in depth study. It presents 10 men and women in urban Japan who lived ordinary lives surrounded by all the trappings of Western life. Yet they escaped to a life with less things, less stresses, and less dependence on modern technology. Sustainable living provides many answers to the ecological difficulties experienced by Western living. With b/w illustrations, we meet the people who have transformed their lives, finding that less is more. I loved meeting these people through their life stories and through their words and creativity, joy and caring. This book will leave you hungry to read more, and eager and to reduce your commitments to consumerism by living a healthier and easier lifestyle. 

Egyptian Hieroglyphics Book Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Egyptian Hieroglyphics - How to Read and Write Ancient Egyptian by Richard Parkinson, published by The British Museum Press.

For over a thousand years in Egypt, the tombs, statues, coffins and papyrus used ancient hieroglyphic language. Easy to read and reproduce, with full colour plates, this is the ideal book for all ages.

Review: Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk


Thursday 7 March 2024

Spiritual Emergency


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Spiritual Emergency - When Personal Transformation Becomes a Crisis. Numerous contributors. RRP US $15.95 : Can $22.99 

Modern psychiatry is failing many who realise that their distress is the result of a spiritual difficulty. This book is written by many eminent professionals in the psychiatric and psychological sectors. It covers psychosis, self realisation and personal growth, the varieties of spiritual emergency, shamanism, kundalini, UFO encounter, spiritual practice, assistance during times of distress, the hero’s journey, and the Spiritual Emergence Network. 

Romance of the Grail


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Romance of the Grail - The Magic and Mystery of Arthurian Myth by Joseph Campbell. Published in hard back with b/w illustrations by New World Library.RRP US $24.95 : UK £22.00

The first double page of this book is a mind map by Joseph Campbell of his ideas of this topic. Campbell was an expert in the study of Grail Quests and Arthurian legends and he found metaphors for psychological growth and the development of ‘amor’ - the love where we become more fully ourselves through our loving connection to others. This is the full collected written and lecture works of Campbell on these subjects. His Masters Thesis was on the “Dolorous Stroke”. 

This book covers the backgrounds of this myth, from Neolithic, Celtic, Roman and German sources and including Irish and French writers. The Knights of the Quest have their own chapters, and the Round Table is fully explained and followed up by an explanation of The Wasteland. 

Wednesday 6 March 2024

Rainbow Tribe


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Rainbow Tribe - Ordinary People Journeying on the Red Road by Ed McGoo - Eagle Man. Published by Harper San Francisco.
The author, Ed McGaa known as Eagle Man is a Oglala Sioux, born on a reservation with the number 15287 who joined the marine corps and became a fighter pilot. He holds a law degree from the University of South Dakota and is the author of many books on spirituality and philosophy. This book is dedicated to several First Nation teachers who the author admires “to the rare warriors with special courage to go out to the lonely edge - the chasm of change - where the detractors are many and the supporters are few.”
Who are the Rainbows? “Rainbow people work in cities and towns. Some are housewives raising their young. Rainbows work, thrive, vote, pay taxes, abide by laws, and our drug-free, abstain from or rarely touch alcohol, and do what almost everyone else does legally in this land. They also do ceremony and have found a closer connection to the creative entity all around them. 

Tuesday 5 March 2024

Animal Voices Children's Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Animal Voices Oracle - Connecting to our Endangered Friends by Chip Richards with illustrations by Susan Farrell, published by Blue Angel Gallery. £13.99

This deck is presented in a boxed set of 31 cards and explanatory guidebook. The cards are designed to stimulate children’s understanding for, and enjoyment of, a variety of our planet's species, such as those that swim, run, fly, crawl, climb, etc. Each card carries an image and it's title. The guidebook provides information about each animal and a special message which calls for children to get to know the unique beauty and gift of each rare animal to remember them for a lifetime. A first ever oracle card deck and highly suitable for 7 – 13 year olds - but adults will learn something too! 
Beautiful images! Excellent value!

Review by Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk



Fairy Tale Fortune Cards



Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Fairy Tale Fortune Cards by Liz Dean. This is a deck of 36 'Lenormand' style cards which uniquely each reflect a symbol taken from popular fairy tales. The hard box with side opening holds quality cards neatly packaged, and contains an explanatory booklet, published by Cico Books. Artwork is by Bev Speight and is a very simple design which could almost be a block print. 


Cards carry a title and a simple subtitle with a direction of possible meaning. Six layouts are offered in the booklet along with instructions. You could choose a card a day for contemplation. The Master Method includes all 36 cards or you could choose a 'yes' or 'no' reading. The cards are designed for guidance, for yourself or a friend. 

Heal Your Ancestral Roots


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Heal Your Ancestral Roots - Release the Family Patterns That Hold You Back by Anuradha Dayal- Gulati PhD. Published by Findhorn Press. US $18.99 : Can $23.99 

The author has a doctorate in economics and is an energy practitioner and transformational coach. She has trained in flower essence therapy and constellation therapy and lives in Boston, US. 

Many of the difficulties that hold us back are rooted in our family history. This book teaches us how to recognise unconscious patterns with journaling, exercises, visualisations, mind mapping, and a Vedic ritual. Dr Anuradha gives us her autobiography and life experiences. She dedicates the book to her spiritual lineage, her ancestors, and her parents, saying that they are the wind and sails in her life and she cannot explain how much they have done for her. 

The Fairy Tellers


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Fairy Tellers - A Journey into the Secret History of Fairy Tales by Nicholas Jubber. Published by John Murray Press. £10.99 

The author, Nicholas Jubber, has established himself by writing other books and articles inspired by his travels across many countries of the world. He, very obviously, has an immense love of fairy stories and delves into several extraordinary and ancient stories, finding deeper meanings of wonder and greater depths of intrigue. The book has small print and it is packed with wonder and amazement, incredible in the extreme and incomprehensible for at least 300 hundreds of pages. 

Though I didn’t know the stories chosen, I was immediately engrossed by the opening sentences, and as the stories grew, I grew in excitement! The stories are beautifully written, the messages within them are wonderfully explained, and each were specially chosen for their ability to touch us in amazing ways. Only a few moments of deep disgust within the text. 

Dreams of the Goddess


Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Dreams of the Goddess - Discovering the Divine While You Sleep by Scarlett Ross. Published by New Page Books. US $13.99

Scarlett Ross, the author is a teacher, a dreamer, a seeker, a kitchen witch who provides workshops on personal divinity and a non profit New Age educational group. In this book she gives us nightly rituals, exercises, and guidance to contact the Goddess and record her messages, meaning and visions in the journal provided. 

The Ancient Science of Geomancy




Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Ancient Science of Geomancy - Living in Harmony with the Earth by Nigel Pennick. 

Also with the subtitle “Man in Harmony with the Earth”. 

Black and white illustrations and photographs illustrate this interesting and easy to read book that covers architecture, geometry, geography, cosmology, art, archeology, numerology, astronomy, astrology, surveying, religion and mythology. Churches, alignments, sacred sites, tombs, and other visible and invisible aspects are covered throughout the world. Salmon return to their birthplace, the swallow returns to its nest, animals find salt licks and water, homing pigeons find their way back to the coup. Stones, trees, springs, mountain tops, all possess an energy, recognised for millennia. There are places in the landscape that hold special vibrations due to their antiquity. Divination and boundary markers date back to ancient times too. There is lots to interest the reader in this fascinating topic and to increase their knowledge of landscape use and appreciation of vibrational energies. Enjoyable! 

Blue Bird Lenormand Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Blue Bird Lenormand Fortune Telling Cards by Stuart R Kaplan. Published by U S Games Systems Inc. Pack includes 36 cards and little white information booklet.

An Inconvenient Truth



Mind, Body & Soul Book Review: An Inconvenient Truth -  The Crisis of Global Warming by Al Gore.

From the award winning film, this is an enlightening book with full colour photographs. Every human being on this planet contributes in many ways to global warming but by being more conscious of our purchases, our uses of power, and by changing our lifestyle, we can reduce our impact.

We are at the turning point in this global catastrophe. If we care about the lives of our children and grandchildren and of millions of people around the world, we must address this crisis immediately.