The Fifth Agreement

Mind Body & Soul Ezine: The Fifth Agreement - A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery by Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz. 

With Janet Mills, described as “Mother of the Book”, the author of the Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz introduces us to his apprentice, his son, Don Jose Miguel in this book that follows from the bestselling previous book, The Four Agreements. Once again, stories illustrating the importance of the agreements are detailed. These are agreements we make with ourself throughout life, but clearing old and unwanted agreements and creating new and useful ones are the basis of this book that reminds us of the four previous ones, and introduces us to a fifth. 

The Agreements are:  

Be impeccable with your word

Don’t take anything personally

Don’t make assumptions

Always do your best

Be sceptical and learn to listen

Tibetan Shamanism

Mind Body & Soul Ezine book review: Tibetan Shamanism - Ecstasy and Healing by Larry Peters PhD published by North Atlantic Books. Paperback 208 pages £15.24 Kindle £11.39 

I recommend this as reading for anyone who has a serious interest in shamanism in general whether they be a beginner or not.
Larry Peters has been awarded many academic accolades for his work with indigenous peoples and is the world authority on the Tamang Nepal tradition with twenty years of dedicated study and research. In addition he is an initiated practitioner. He has worked with indigenous Shamans in Nepal, Mongolia, Siberia and China and in this book he presents new and interesting perspectives on the last four indigenous Tibetan Shamans who lived in exile in Nepal. They are no longer alive so the information gathered by Dr Peters is beyond price to posterity. The indigenous Shamans from Tibet have survived as a respected tradition in outlying areas. As Buddhism has been the religion of the area for over a thousand years, shamanism has incorporated many aspects of the dominant culture.

Lynda Stevens - An Interview

Introducing my readers to Lynda Stevens. Please tell us something about yourself Lynda: "I work as an artist and am engaged in creating abstract mixed-media works on canvas using materials ranging from glass fragments, clay and paper with acrylic, and metal foil, in layered landscapes. I work on paper too, creating collages. I see this path as a constant search 'for the pearl of Great Price', an image of wonder and beauty.

"My first degree was in English and Italian literature, but I graduated in 198 and there were 500 graduates to every job! I used my time to get two further qualifications in Art and I am actively involved in the 'alternative' Budapest scene where I exhibit with a group of life drawers, and take part in monthly creative events in the ruined pubs here, and I work outside with the Budapest Montmartre group in the summer. 

The Gospels' Veiled Agenda - Harry Freedman

Mind Body & Soul Book Review: The Gospels' Veiled Agenda - Revolution, Priesthood and The Holy Grail by Harry Freedman, published by O Books, paperback 182 pages £11.99 http://www.harryfreedmanbooks.com/

Dr Freedman here examines the life of Jesus and his mission which has parallels, connections and shadowing in the Old Testament. For instance, Isaac carried the wood for his own death on the pyre - and Jesus carried his cross to his crucifixion. There was a decree for all boy children to be put to death in the OT but Moses was saved in the bull-rushes - and a similar decree occured in the NT but Jesus was taken to Egypt for safety. Moses fasted 40 days and nights, as did Jesus. Many incidents in the lives of Adam, Noah, David, Joseph, Isaac, Elijah and others, find parallels in the life of Jesus, where there are similar roles or similar statements.

Creature Teacher Cards Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Creature Teacher - Animal Wisdom For All Ages by Scott Alexander King, illustrated by Sioux Dollman, boxed 45 cards and guidebook. www.animaldreaming.com

We can learn from other species and their intelligence, beauty and skills can provide us with guidance and inspiration that can enrich our lives. Wild and domesticated species are detailed with imaginary unicorn, dragons, etc., included.

Each card has an animal title and 3/4 word message and a hand painted image. The Guide book contains excellent and extensive information on each card. These are round cards and information on how to use them is provided. Spreads suggested are a one card reading and a three card reading. 

Universal Prophecy Cards

 Mind Body & Soul  Ezine Card Deck Review: Universal Prophecy Cards by Julie McKenzie published by Animal Dreaming Publishing. 

Simple and minimal instructions on how to clear the cards, ask the question, shuffle, choose, bless, and seek meaning. There are gold leafed edges on these high quality cards which are read upright only. There is a card titled The Golden Prophecy which is a master card of the deck. Each card has a title, an image, and a few words of advice. Sample card titled 'colour' with the  image (right) and words of advice: Visualise rainbow colours surrounding you as you breathe in their healing energy. From a calm mind and peaceful heart, the truth you seek will emerge.

Spreads suggested are Single Card Draw - 1 card, Message from your Beloved - 6 cards, Golden Bridge Layout - 10 cards, Yearly Layout - 12 cards, Prophecy Layout, in two parts, 13 cards.

It’s helpful to have the title, image and information on the cards! 
The author is a medium and specialises in children's books. 

Review Wendy Stokes www.wendystokes.co.uk

Book Extract - Homecoming - Reclaiming and Healing Your Inner Child

The wounded inner child contaminates intimacy in relationships because he has no sense of his authentic self.

The greatest wound a child can receive is the rejection of his authentic self. When a parent cannot affirm his child’s feelings, needs, and desires, he rejects that child’s authentic self. Then, a false self must be set up. In order to believe he is loved, the wounded child behaves the way he thinks he is supposed to.

The Enchanted Tarot Review - 25th Anniversary Edition

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Enchanted Tarot - 25th Anniversary Edition. By Amy Zerner and Monte Farber. Published by Race Point. £19.99 http://www.theenchantedworld.net/

Over 250,000 decks of The Enchanted Tarot have been sold since first printed in 1992 and this is the prized '25th Anniversary' deck - not to be missed - as it is a very reasonable price for a boxed deck of 78 individual fabric artwork images plus a full colour book and a plum velvet bag!

Hieroglyphic Words of Power

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Hieroglyphic Words of Power - Symbols for Magic, Divination & Dreamwork by Normandi Ellis. Published by Bear & Co. US $20 : Can $24.99 : UK Kindle £8.99 and quality paperback with b/w illustrations £13.99 

Dr Normandi Ellis is an award winning author, mentor, minister, environmentalist, and archpriestess with the Fellowship of Isis. She is also the author of Awakening Osiris (translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead) and Imagining the World into Existence. You are learning from a real expert here! You get your money’s worth! 

Rev Dr Karen Tate Book Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Goddess Calling by Rev Dr Karen Tate - Inspirational Messages and Meditations of Sacred Feminine Liberation Thealogy is published by Changemaker Books eBook: £6.99 Paperback: £9.99 Website: www.karentate.com

This book has been glowingly reviewed and praised by Jean Houston, Barbara G Walker, Szuzsanna Budapest and many other ‘greats’ of the women’s spirituality movement of our time. I opened it with considerable excitement to drink in it its beauty and riches and enjoy its poetry, delight and magic. The author provides here a useful manual to explore the many aspects of the Sacred Feminine and to access inspiration, encouragement and empowerment, not just on a personal level, but also to create a “Wisdom Circle”, a community in which rituals can be held to further explore this dynamic and transformational spiritual path specially for women.

Tarot of the New Vision

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review - Tarot of New Vision by. Pietro Alligo with artwork by Raul and Gianluca Cestaro. Published by Lo Scarabeo. £25.00

The ornate artwork, inspired by Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, is very enjoyable. This is a classy Tarot deck that will impress clients. The images describe the standard scenes shown from the back, so a great deal of information is available from these cards which aid intuition and help flesh out readings with a new perspective. The art creators are brothers. Several animals have prominence, owl, swan, monkey, turtle, lamb, etc. Ask ‘What is my purpose?’ There are two spreads suggested, The Cards of Meditation for journaling on a card each day, and The External and the Internal Cards. 

It would help to have a good knowledge of the RWS cards but having that, I developed a far broader understanding of potential situations than I had before. I like this deck. It is available from Lo Scarabeo and is included in the Total Tarot Collection, numbers 44 and 45. 

Colours - June McLeod

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Colours of the Soul - Tranform your Life Through Colour Therapy by June McLeod, 260 pages paperback £11.99, Kindle £6.99. Published by O Books. 
     For anyone interested in colour, this book covers the topic well, and who isn't interested? We choose clothes, vehicles and decor, but what effect does colour have on our life, and if we choose a particular colour, what does that say about us? The book provides exercises so is more of a work book. It explains what colours mean, the science of colour, how we can choose the best colours for ourselves, choosing foods of particular colours to improve health, colours that relate to the chakra and aura systems, art, etc.

Erotic Fantasy Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Card Deck Review: Erotic Fantasy Tarot by Joseph Viglioglia  Published by Lo Scarabeo Pack of 78 cards plus multi languages information insert. £18.99 

The little white booklet insert is in English, Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Setting the scene for this very saucy Tarot deck are a few paragraphs about Eros, the world of our imagination, sex and ourselves, and these are followed by keywords and action suggestions for the Majors, where beautiful unclothed women are mainly featured, there are a few males and some ambiguously gendered archetypes. The Minors are King, Queen, Knight, Knave of Chalices, Pentacles, Wands, and Swords. The spread suggested is the 3 Card, ‘Erotic Relationship’. 

The Chocolate Lover's Message Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Chocolate Lover's Message Cards by Rosie Shalhoub, published by Animal Dreaming Publishing in a magnetic flip top box with 70 cards and instructions on how to use them. 

I enjoyed these cards! Let's get together and have some fun while we learn something about self- development.

Tantric Love Letters

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Tantric Love Letters by Diana Richardson Published by Manta Books Paperback: £12.99  221 pages

The author, Diana Richardson is a leading authority on tantric sex and has written several books on the subject (some with her husband, Michael). She trained with the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Community and the Barry Long Foundation. A qualified lawyer and therapeutic massage teacher, she conducts 7 day workshops in Switzerland on Tantra with her husband. Also authored by Diana Richardson 'Tantric Orgasm for Women', 'Tantric Sex for Men', 'The Heart of Tantric Sex' and 'Slow Sex'. 

True Love Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Card Deck Review: True Love Oracle - Attract & Create the Love You Desire by Belinda Grace, Boxed set of 36 Cards and Guidebook, published by Rockpool Publishing US $24.95: UK £18.99.on 8/12/2022 

New levels of understanding, confidence and trust are promised! With beautiful high colour artwork by Lori Banks, these cards are enjoyable. We all want to be loved and to love others in order to be emotionally fulfilled. It is difficult to feel satisfied with your life without affection and respect. The cards carry an image, number and title. In the guidebook, you have twenty words of advice for each card and 1,000 words of extra meaning. Also included, are instructions on how to use the cards, guidance on specific issues, questions, information for a 3 card reading for singles and for partnerships. There are meditations, mantras, a reparenting method, and a reintegration of your divine feminine. 

Arcanis Animal Tarot

 Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Arcanis Animal Tarot by David Depasquale. Boxed set of 78 cards and Guidebook. Published by Hay House. RRP US $24.99 : Can $33.99 : UK £22.00

“Animals are referred by many cultures as moral guides, sacred guardians, and door to the spirit world.”

XXI The World - Upright: Completion, New Beginnings, Fulfilment. The World card is a sign that the end of something big is in sight. You’ve achieved what you’ve been working towards, and you feel accomplished. Though you’ve faced adversity, you have come out as the victor, and your hard work and dedication will be recognised. You feel a deep sense of purpose and have found your place in the world. If you haven’t quite reached the end yet, know it is within reach once you tie up those loose ends. Enjoy the fruits of your labour, be at promotion, a marriage, the birth of a child, or graduation. Your contentment is well deserved. Reversed: Lack of Achievement, Loss of Focus, Inability to Complete. The reversed World card signifies that you have some unfinished business to attend to. You may have been on the cusp of finishing something, but then became hesitant, or distracted. You didn’t follow through, which resulted in disappointment and a lack of closure. You need to jump back into the game and complete your goal. You will likely feel frustrated at having to start up again, and will need to make some changes to your approach, but know that in the end, the task will be worth finishing. Proud of his accomplishments, the World sits balancing the Earth, symbolising the fulfilment of his quest to find his place in the world. 

The Dream Weaver’s Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Dream Weaver’s Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid. Illustrations by Joel Makamura. Boxed set of 44 cards and guidebook. Published by Hay House. RRP US $24.99 : Can $33.99

“You are more than you know.”

There are two types of dreams: Dreams that are nightly, unconscious, and those that are conscious aspirations, hopes, and ambitions. This Oracle is about the second type. Information is provided in the guidebook on how to work with this deck, such as choosing a place within your home to keep special for readings. There is a prayer, an invocation offered to begin. Hold a question in your mind. There is a suggestion as to how to ask the right question. These cards are always upright, never reversed. You can choose a single card reading, a Two-Card or a Three-Card reading. How does it serve your highest good? 

Positive thinking! A good reminder. Taking a card a day! All good advice! Marvellous images. 

Soulful Woman Guidance Cards Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Soulful Woman Guidance Cards - Nurturance, Empowerment & Inspiration for the Feminine Soul by Shushann Movsessian and Gemma Summers. Boxed set of 48 cards and guidebook. Published by Blue Angel Publishing.£17.99

Written by qualified psychotherapists who teach the path of the sacred feminine. The cards encourage empowerment and authenticity. 26 different artists work are featured, contributing 48 illustrations of women's faces using computer graphics, multi media and paintings. Each card has an image, a number, title and card affirmation message. The guidebook provides a message for each card plus information on how to use the cards by using the words 'I am'. There is a suggestion of a one-card reading and a 3 card reading. Symbols are the faces of women, flowers, moon, geometric designs, eggs, birds, butterflies, hair and spirals.