A meditation site is provided: audio.inner traditions.com/crovca
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Wild Edge of Sorrow - Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller. Published by North Atlantic Books. RRP US 
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Higher Reality Therapy Nine Pathways to Inner Peace By Anthony Falikowski Visit: www.falikowski.comThis 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.
We are in a time of recognising the importance of trees in our world. So many entire forests and species are under threat. This book is a joy to read and there is much here to learn from. Tree lore is an ancient wisdom and the author writes about her own personal story, then invites us to walk with her in this enriching journey using the seasonal calendar to cultivate a relationship with trees. The Major Celtic trees are detailed, we are given guided meditations, astrology and runes information, 23 ogham letters, and tree honouring ceremonies. You will develop greater understanding of many common trees and how you can work with them to build a personal relationship with them.
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.
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| Painting by Jocelyn Chaplin |
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
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Chelsea Physic Garden Herbal - The Essential Guide to Herbs for Living by Deni Bown, hardback, published by Pavilion.
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
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.
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Tipping Point - How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, published by Abacus. Michael Gladwell's Blog is available on this link: http://gladwell.typepad.com/gladwellcom/With its focus on the Goddess and the Divine Feminine, this is the workbook to accompany the original round deck, the Motherpeace Tarot created by Vicki Noble and Karen Vogel 45 years ago. It was the first multicultural Tarot exclusively for women. Taking its inspiration from ancient cultures and modern tribal peoples, with non stereotypical settings and design, it has sold in its thousands.
From Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson I have chosen Owl,
the Sacred Medicine Bird associated with magic and observation of truth. This is a wonderful subject and it is written beautifully. The area of Cana’an, an ancient holy land, and ancestral land that dates back many thousands of years. This and Lebanon, the home of the author is deeply loved and described with moving dedication. With a huge percentage of inhabitants as refugees, with war and economic crisis, this ravaged land still yields magic and beauty and healing. This is a book that needed to be written to rescue and save its swiftly eroding ancient wisdom. It is a very personal account but has great layers of knowledge, wisdom and caring that is rare and impressive.
This is a book that will change your life! A wonder of healing and magic.
This is a wonderful book, written with deep personal honesty and inner beauty. It a real life story of a caring doctor who faces great challenges, and who takes the reader on an amazing journey towards greater self knowledge and compassion. The book is written by one who understands what life is truly about. You have your own story, as enlightening and astounding as those described here and you are encouraged to tell your story too through the method Dr Brewster describes. Who would benefit from this book? Health professionals, religious, academic, counsellors, all those facing difficulties or who know of those who are. It’s a very moving book, challenging at times, but readers will be wiser and more matured by the experience.
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Persephone Unveiled - Seeing the Goddess & Freeing Your Soul by Charles Stein, 140 pages, Paperback RRP US $17.95 : Can $22.50 : £13.85 published by North Atlantic Books. 15 powerful ancient goddesses are featured in this book that helps you to connect with them through exercises, guided visualisations, rituals, chants and mantras. Kali, Lakshmi, Radha, Sekhmet, Artemis, Persephone, Hecate, Iris, Ma’at, Hathor, Durga, Nephthys, Artemis, Persephone, Hecate, Iris, Aphrodite, Saraswati, Isis, are described in detail and are chosen to provide blessings, insight and inspiration. All information is provided, no experience is necessary to get the best from this book.
Colours, chakras, goddess functions, are described, and there is a glossary of terms. I felt I made contact with several goddesses and enjoyed the messages I received from them and felt their presence close to me from using this workbook.
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.
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.
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..
Angels, ancestors, nature spirits, star beings, animal spirits, ascended masters, and deities can be contacted for guidance of all kinds. There is a chapter for each of these, what they represent, how they can most assist you. They each have specific gifts, and challenges. You can find out how to work with these spirit beings, talk to them, conduct a ceremony, and find your spiritual life purpose. There is an extensive quiz that helps you to ascertain which spirit guide is your most dominant.
The three stages are detailed, each archetype described in turn, with meditation, tools, energies, symbols, rituals, practices, inner experiences, and how to gain balance and spiritual growth through the initiation.
The text covers history, religion, psychology, Freemasonry, art, the New Age, the supernatural, and includes a great deal of occult information. Topics are alchemy, consciousness, death, the divine, the Golden Age, the Higher Self,
It is presented as a practical text book with vast amounts of notes and in depth understanding. The bibliography is considerable. Kabbalah, meditation, rituals, shamanism, energies, warfare, the Will, and many other popular topics of occultism and magic.
Over 100 suggestions from 30 Goddess experts, with identifying your goddess archetype, with themed sections, quizzes, ways to find out who you are, and be who you are. You don’t need to be prefect, or wait for the right time, no longer please others, gain better financial security, wear bright colours, think positively, jump start your love life, spice up your sex life, boost your body image, find out your love quotient score, be grateful, become organised, keep questioning, start being logical, throw a dinner party, create your dream home, make a beautiful garden, detox, take vitamins, take exercise, deal with rejection, make sure you bounce!
Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Earth Medicine - Ancestors' Ways of Harmony For Many Moons by Jamie Sams, published by Harper. Paperback 383 pages
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.
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?
Aka 'Oracle of the Good Folk', these cards are positive with a little hint of mischief. The artwork, as one would expect from specialist Victorian fairy illustrator, Arthur Rackham, is delightful and totally believable. They were produced at a time when fairies were extremely popular in children's fairy tale books, such as Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. From his pen, ink and watercolour illustrations of fairies, sections have been taken to showcase on the cards for insight and creativity.
The text by Jaymi Elford accompanies each individual artwork and is both useful and pertinent. Ask a question for a One card, Two cards or Four cards reading. The card faces offer an image which invites dialogue. In the multi lingual booklet, a title for each card is given with approx 40 word description of the image plus approx 40 word meaning. Sheer magic! Enjoy and deliver your best ever readings!
Review: Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk
All that is needed is you, your question, such as “What obstacles might I find on my path”, and the cards. We are invited to shuffle the cards, place the deck face down and turn over the top card for a one card reading. Other spreads suggested are a 3 Card, a Celtic Cross of 10 Cards, and a Personality of 6 Cards.
The card images are digitally produced and I would like to have seen them but the reproduction is far too dark and the artwork is obscured by impenetrable blackness! The video shows a preferable deck where the images can be seen. I don't think it would be unfair to say that the same muscle bound, bare chested man has been used for more than one photo. For this reason, I am not recommending these cards. Though the book text is 50-100 words of upright and for reversed cards, it is not that enlightening and has sometimes left me considerably confused as to its meaning. Though the deck is described as ‘romantic’, I couldn’t find the romance!
Sample reading: King of Cups
Many controversies discussed, such as Morton Smith’s discovery of the Secret Gospel of Mark and Jesse and magic.
The Masks of Christ offers a critique of Christianity - and Christians, and a debunking of Jesus and the New Testament writings. Was Jesus a Jew or a pagan? Previously, the authors wrote The Sion Revelation, and Turin Shroud - How Leonardo da Vinci Fooled History so their emphasis is not promoting the Christian message.
Kicking off, by page 4, the author is drawing attention to how far our society has degraded from the Grail ideology. The author promises to set out the Grail Code - which is one of service - of conscience, and therefore the grail transmits a true religious message across the world and across the generations. All credit to the late Laurence Gardner for recognising and teaching this ancient and vital knowledge.
The late Laurence Gardner (died 2010) was a controversial character, a writer, researcher and one time stockbroker. He believed that the Ark of the Covenant produced monoatomic gold, a white powder that has superhuman healing properties; that aliens from other planets brought us religion; that the origins of Judaism lie in Egyptology; and that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, had children and their offspring are in the House of Stewart. He worked closely with HRH Prince Michael of Albany, Head of the Royal House of Stewart, aka Michael Roger Lafosse who has been entirely discredited.
The path of the shaman is to heal the world, care for other species, live in harmony with others, to see sacredness in water, stones, trees and all nature, and trance to travel the Otherworld for messages of wisdom and compassion. The time is right to be working with these energies!
All Major and Minor cards have new titles. Drums are Earth Pentacles, Bows are Air Swords, Bones are Fire Wands, and Stones are Water Cups. Court cards are Page, Knight, Queen and King.
The book describes snake venom medicine to boost immune response and for some cures, even the basis for immortality. The Grail, not a cup or chalice, but like the Kabbalah, a new consciousness. I found this book fascinating. It’s racy, and takes the reader on a huge journey throughout a vast number of esoteric ideas, linking them in unusual, unexpected and new ways. There is an appendix, an extensive bibliography and a few pages of notes.
