Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Witches' AlmanacBe reminded and learn more about the moon and yourself as you discover the lunar cycle, the rhythms, and phases, and use these energies to produce joy, meaning and purpose in your life. The words of the diary will guide you with New and Full Moon influences, and with positivity, to plan your months throughout the year. It’s a beautiful addition to your daily life.
Also by the author Yasmin Boland:
Moonology Oracle Cards
The Rose Oracle
Keeper of the Light Oracle Cards
We have a deck that focusses on the time of the ancient Celts who lived in the areas of Ireland, Scotland, France, Northern Spain, and Turkey. They were creative, artistic, courageous, freedom loving, strong, and spiritual people, who were wonderfully imaginative storytellers, who loved nature, and whose world was filled with wonders. They had regular seasonal festivals, and celebrated the beginning of the year at Lughnassah, and the spring festival on May Eve.
The deck describes their value system, the ogham letters, little people, and plant spirits, their myths and legends. We see the cauldron of the Dagda in the Ace of Cups, the flower maiden, Blodenwedd, and Ceridwen in the Wheel of Fortune.
It’s a beautiful Tarot deck!
“Unlock the mysteries of the rose, connect to the divine feminine, nature, beauty. May Her healing mysteries call you home to your true nature.”
The rose is an ancient symbol of love and perfection. It is known as the Queen of flowers. The cards call us to meet the Mother Rose, connect to the goddess, to beauty, and to nature. Its perfume, soft velvet petals and beauty have provided great joy across the generations and across many countries of the world. The cards help us to reconnect with the garden, the Earth, the divine feminine, with seasons and cycles.
Sample card: XI Justice. Astrological correlation Libra. Justice will make itself known when you see situations from all angles. Justice takes things slowly and deliberately and makes a just decision. All actions have consequences. Therefore, Justice knows that fairness is a priority, and understands that there will always be somebody who feels hurt if you don’t do things their way. When this card appears in a reading, you must take a stand and do what’s right for you. Upright meaning: equality, balance, decisions, fairness. Reversed meaning: dispute, dishonesty, lack of accountability, corruption.
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Triple Goddess Tarot - Using the Power of the Major Arcana, Chakra Healing, and the Divine Feminine by Isha Lerner, illustrated by Mara Friedman, set of 33 individually illustrated cards and explanatory book in a sturdy drawer pull box. Published by Bear & Co. £30 Richard Wagner’s musical drama features the old Norse and Germanic pantheon and the story of a deadly and cursed golden ring of unlimited power. Characters and plot are taken from source material, and are adapted for this intriguing deck, which retains much of the drama, excitement and interest of the original storyline and is combined with the extraordinary and magical artwork of Arthur Rackham.
The cards carry an image, umber and a title and a subtitle from the story. There is information on each card’s background, and a divinatory meaning with reversed card meanings. The Divinatory meanings in the book are concise! I would say excellent. There is a lot of information to take in about the storyline, and if I had to make a criticism, it would be with the fonts that are difficult to read.
The deck is dedicated to Ludwig J J of Bavaria… “The so-called “mad” King, whose patronage financed Wagner‘s completion and initial production of the monumental Ring of the Nibelung. In supporting art over war, Ludwig II left us a profound and enduring legacy of music and myth.”
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Quest for Mary Magdalene - History. & Legend by Michael Haag
Extract: “A woman who needed to earn an income could extend her domestic activities into the marketplace where she could sell clothing, farm produce and bread (the bakers were men)or she could be an innkeeper, letting out rooms in her house. Hairdressers, midwives, and professional mourners were traditional occupations for women. But a woman’s earnings were for the benefit of her family. She was not free to dispose of her money herself.
For the month of October. a card with the Number 21 titled 'The World' from The Mysteries of the Star majors only tarot deck by Philippe Rouchier. Its
position, as the first chosen, is of fundamental influence in your present situation. This is a masculine energy, depicted as a strong, bare-chested man with long, flowing black and white hair and with a
white beard and moustache. His eyes are hidden in shadow. He is holding in his
hand a ball of energy. The traditional meaning of ‘The World’ card is
wholeness, success and completion. This is a new beginning that will take place
for you but the shades need to be lifted from your eyes in order for
wisdom to be available, and for the energy to be used well. It is the card of maturity, of strength and wisdom. You hold this potential within your hands! Beware of the black and white hair, hair portraying strength in the myths. 
I like this deck and its connection between animal and human life, portrayed by the pen and ink artworks of Jeremy Hush from Philadelphia where he is the curator of Convent Gallery where he has his studio. The only spread offered is a four-card ‘Self Binding Influence’ layout. In the booklet, both upright and reversed meanings are provided. The Majors have keywords, and 50 words of upright and 50 words of reversed meanings, the Minors have 30 words of each. I think that a beginner might struggle a little, but an experienced reader will find the artworks have intrinsic meaning and are inspirational.
This card on the right is the card of Justice, here numbered VIII. She is the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and
Justice and she speaks to us directly. Do you hear her voice say with
great power and authority: "Bow down before me, for I am Ma'at, the
Goddess of Truth, Justice and Order. Obey my commands and you will be
rewarded by the same coin, or disobey me, and be condemned by the 42
judges. 
The Major Arcana has traditional Tarot titles. King, Queen, Knight and Page of suits, Pentacles, Wands, Cups and Swords. Suggested spreads are: The Triangle and The Cross. Information on questioning the cards, with additional information about apportioning time. Reversed card information is provided, along with archetypes, seasons and celebrations, and Myers-Briggs personality comparisons.
Each Major card has the usual number and title, with its astrological significance, meaning and keyword, the Element, its Kabbalistic path, and its Hebrew letter and translation. Added to this is an explanation of the artwork, the upright and reversed divinatory meaning, and ten key phrases.
Sample: Tree is
numbered 17 and is titled 'Receiving a Gift'. It
shows
a Christmas
tree with fairy
lights. Gifts are laid out around its base, we guess who purchased these, and who they are for and what might be inside the wrapping paper. Will this be a happy Xmas event. Someone has gone to much trouble to create a perfect setting. It is a card which draws us to the
creation of homely
happiness and sharing a time
of celebration with others.
The Mystical Kipper cards, however, do not depict all sweetness and light! Some cards highlight the more difficult aspects of life which are ever present for the unsuspecting. There are false persons, unhappiness, prison, bereavement, and other dangers. All 36 cards can be laid in an 'All Cards' spread, nine cards in four rows and the cards are read horizontally, diagonally and vertically.
This is a delightful deck, as is it's companion, the Mystical Lenormand, by the same creators, Fiechter and Trosch. I like to use the Mystical Kipper cards alongside the Lenormand Cards to create a 72 card combined deck. There is sufficient information in the little white booklet in the deck packs to get the beginner started.
