How to Have a Beautiful Mind

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: How To Have a Beautiful Mind by Edward de Bono.

Excellent techniques for making you an enjoyable person to meet, get to know, to spend time with, in the short and ling term. How to argue without alienated your opponent, be fair, and let go of your ego and needing always to be right. How to be an interesting person, creative, enjoyable, kind! How to be a good listener, patient, interested, pleasant. The avoidance of being critical. How to be co-operative, containing your emotions, making choices, building a life purpose, expressing opinions, taking your turn, being fair to yourself, being constructive, dealing with boredom, finding other people interesting, having something new to say, dealing with anger, and so much more first class advice on how to lead a life that others will respect and admire. 

Psychic News Mag

New Oracle Card Deck Release November 2025

Psychic News Magazine Review for October 2025 issue : 

Healing the Inner Child - A Transformative Quest, Boxed set of 44 Cards and Guidebook by Nina Mongendre, with artwork by EdieArt. Published by Hay House. 

RRP UK £17.99 : US $22.99 : Can $29.99 

What is the Inner Child? As children, there are times when we are upset, confused or afraid, and feelings of vulnerability, trauma and unmet needs are buried, but they still affect our adult emotions, beliefs, and thoughts. When we access these childhood memories, we can provide validation to the child we once were, resolving hardships with compassion, healing psychological wounds with understanding, supporting the crying child, and where there are negative patterns affecting adult life, inserting boundaries and more aware decisions making. 

"Your inner child holds the key to your wholeness as an adult.”

This is a brief précis of a card chosen for PN readers. The Guidebook text is more extensive. No 9 The Quest has been chosen for PN readers. From the Invitation section, we read how courage and determination are required for your Quest - for love, justice, and progress. - and to create your life purpose, and your sacred calling. Have you considered an ecological or community based service? The Quest is a task where you will learn to develop as a person of worth and substance. The Inner Child section asks about your childhood. What life as a child did you lead, and how did you develop your values and your resilience? Say to your inner child, “I honour your strength and I am proud of you.” The Journey section asks you to imagine that you are lying on your death-bed. What have been your greatest successes? What 3 regrets do you have and how you could have acted differently? Give yourself some positive affirmations for the future. See yourself accomplishing everything you would like to do in your life. 

Each card meaning is divided into 3 sections: Invitation, Inner Child and Journey. The text is excellent and shows the experience of the author in working with this subject. Healing is divided into 3 levels: Firstly, The Spoken Word, which suggests we speak out loud the words of the text, to ground the positive vibrations of the words, secondly, The Written Word, where a special notebook can be used to record your experiences of working with the cards, such as writing an intention each time you choose a card, and thirdly, Visualisation, where our imagination is used to enter the painted image. Each card provides a guided meditation to help you to revisit childhood memories and replay them with new healthy outcomes. There is ample advice for the reader to use the deck for the self or to read for another person. 

This nurturing Oracle deck helps you connect with your childhood self in order to acknowledge hurts, forgive, release resentments, accept and acknowledge the past, clear blocks and be at ease with the past, and build resilience and strength. It is full of excellent advice and methods that help your inner child to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. The journey begins with a dedication to your inner child, thanking it for waiting patiently for the adult self to recognise it and attend to its needs. You reclaim the happy, playful child and offer it comfort, so that it trusts life and people, and can enjoy beauty and innocence again. You give thanks also for life itself, for the resilience of your ancestors, and those who have lived before you. It’s all in the guidebook, which also provides a prayer to the Divine Mother by Andrew Harvey. There is an explanation on how the cards connect with your inner child, and the various ways to use the cards. The deck is not intended to judge anyone. It is designed to provide non judgmental guidance for deep soothing and restoration of love for the child that exists within you. You and your younger self will learn to move forward in greater clarity and tranquility. 

The titles reflect the topics for recovery, such as: Safety, Father, Mother, Abandonment, Belonging, Protection, Surrender. 

The author, Nina Mongendre studied philosophy, art, yoga, meditation and shamanism. She has a private psychotherapy practice and has written a bestselling book ‘Reclaiming Your Inner Child - A Journey of Childhood and Ancestral Healing’. She has podcasts and gifts on her website: ninamongendre.com 

In addition to the Guidebook information, we have 44 wonderful artworks from the expert colourist Edie Pijpers. Erie is a self taught painter and musician living in California. Website: edieart.com 

You can increase awareness of your inner child and do powerful healing on your own without a therapist. This deck helps you to increase awareness and offers exercises to help you to achieve psychological healing. This has become my favourite oracle deck! I will use it for myself, taking each card a day in sequence on a 44 day healing journey for my inner child. Excellent cardboard card stock. A powerful and useful oracle and excellent value. You definitely get your money's worth!

Reviewer: Wendy Stokes. Wendy has a life long interest in Spiritualism. She has an additional interest in mind, body and spirit, and has an integrative and intuitive counselling practice in London. Visit https://wendystokes.co.uk 

The Sorcerers Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Sorcerers Tarot by Antonella Castelli by Lo Scarabeo 2005 

Good an evil are in an eternal battle! We must get the best from our reading and from our life. Neither positive nor negative magic equates to the soul of the querent. The reader encourages the querent to take responsibility for their life and to be courageous, wise and aware. Information in the cards can be good or bad as we make it. The magic enables us to build our own destiny. Willpower, intention, determination, and ability, these create the magic in your life! Magic deals with the human soul, it exists to transform the person spiritually, though we all want circumstances to be changed, this needs to happen by a change in ourselves - our actions reflect our character and spiritual qualities. Everything is related, all circumstances come together to create a whole - just one decision can have a knock on effect. 

Elemental Goddess Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Elemental Goddess Oracle - A Sacred Planet Deck by Bronwyn Millar. Boxed set of 45 Cards and full colour Guidebook. Published by Bear & Co, imprint of Inner Traditions. RRP $19.99 : Can $24.99 

The text is channelled. We are emerging from the patriarchal age into the intuitive, feminine and transcendent age of mysticism and alignment, where greater balance will be created towards a kinder, more nurturing and supportive age. Spiritual awakening and healing will result. Kudos in the exercises.

Japanese Gods and Spirits Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Japanese Gods and Spirits Oracle by Makoto Akiyama, illustrated by Fumika Tanaka. Boxed set of 36 gold edged cards and full colour guidebook. Published by Rockpool Publishing. UK: £19.99 Feb 2026 

With Buddhist Shinto and Japanese folklore beliefs, we have interesting write-ups and really marvellous artworks. All information on how to read the cards, is provided. Cards have a number, a title, concept and meaning. The introduction explains the energies of the cards, the extraordinary artwork, and the gods, sprites and deities involved. All is explained in the included guidebook, with how to use the cards, how to create interest and insight from the cards using One-Card and Three-Card spreads. 

Celtic Spirit Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Celtic Spirit Tarot - ancient wisdom for the elementals by Nicola McIntosh. Published by Rockpool Publishing. Quality boxed set of 92 cards and full colour guidebook with reading cloth. US $39.95 : UK £30.00  March 2022 

This is a luxury tarot deck. The box glints with gold Celtic knot design, and the cards are beautiful and extraordinary artwork with gold glinting edges. The full colour guidebook is very detailed and this is an excellent tart for all levels of readings. This deck does not disappoint. 

The Celtic Spirit Tarot is a delight. It i a simple as you would like, but has the option of numerology and  Ogham and Runic alphabets to add strength to readings should it be required. All the instructions are in the guidebook. spreads are: One-Card reading, Three-Card Reading, Four-Card Reading, a Celtic Cross Spread of 10 cards, and a Pentagram Spread of 6 or more cards.

Couture Tarot

 

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Couture Tarot by Megan Skinner. Published by REDFeather, an imprint of Schiffer Books. $34.99 Available from 28.Nov 2025 Quality boxed set of 78 cards and full colour guidebook.. Nov 2025

A glamorous Tarot deck for your upmarket, fashionista readers and their clients who like their revelations coming with a classy brand. The stout square box has a magnetic closure and is a demure navy with gold detailing and carries a fly leaf of vintage Parisian and Hollywood style images. The tarot archetypes are portrayed in enjoyable colour and collage, cut from magazines, such as Harpers Bazaar and Queen! They are based on the Rider Waite Smith traditions. Court cards are Page, Knight, Queen and King, and the suits are Fire, Water, Earth and Air. 

Dream Wisdom Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Dream Wisdom Oracle by Greg Mahr MD, and Heather Taylor Zimmerman MD. Magnetic box containing a set of 46 cards and guidebook. Published by Destiny Books imprint of Inner Traditions. UK : £23.99 1st January 2026

Written by two of the most qualified oracle designers, Dr Mahr, a psychiatrist and specialist in dreams, and Dr Zimmerman, a psychologist, trained in Jungian psychotherapy, and she is also a visionary artist. Both co-authored the book The Wisdom of Dreams’ that relates to this oracle deck. 

We have full explanation on how to use these cards, 4 methods are given. The deck consists of 6 cards of text that describe a method of Bringing Dreams to Life. Each of the other 40 cards are titled and numbered and carry an image. They focus on the traditional symbolism. In the accompanying book, we have excellent information on exploring our dreams, and the importance of dream work and how to use it for the best outcome. There are 12 steps to help us befriend our dreams and a chapter on Maintaining our connection to our dream life. 

Persephone Unveiled

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. 

A mythical and magical story of ancient rites and initiation is the subject of this extraordinary book, which is full of fascinating potentials and wonders. 

Beginning with Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn of Demeter, the abduction of her daughter Persephone, and into the underworld, here we have a wonderful explanation of this secret and ancient story of  with greater and lesser mysteries and divine revelations. (Were hallucinogen drugs used?) I very much enjoyed reading Dr Stein’s  words and considering the wonderful circumstances that took place 3,000 years ago. He is a poet who specialises in literature and ancient Greek and is very articulate and knowledgeable.  He has authored many books. 

The Mythic Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book review: The Mythic Tarot Workbook by Juliet Sharman-Burke.

      The author is  a psychotherapist who co-authored the tarot card deck of the same name. This book is intended for use with the Mythic Tarot cards and is intended to replace a workshop for deepening and widening knowledge through guided fantasy exercises for all 78 cards, meditations, and methods to help interpret the cards. There is also a suggestion for journaling and space is provided for this. There are pen line sketches of the Major Arcana for colouring. Information is provided on how to read the cards for yourself or for others. There are suggested spreads titled: Horoscope, Ten Card, Horseshoe, Triangle and Star.

Arthurian Myth & Legend

Mind Body & Soul Book Review: Arthurian Myth & Legend- A - Z of People and Places by Mike Dixon-Kennedy.

If your favourite topic is King Arthur and the Round Table, you will love this reference book on your book shelves and will refer to it often. As a result of 15 years of study and research, the author has compiled 2,000 entries here for you to learn more about this enigmatic subject. 

Some examples of nuggets of interest: Anfortas, the Grail King, was wounded in the scrotum during a jousting contest. Could his name be a corruption of Infirmtas - infirmity. 

In the battle between Arthur and his son Mordred, they came to the battlefield to make a truce, but one of the knights was bitten by a adder on the foot, pulled out his sword from its scabbard, and its steel glinting in the sun, caused the opposing side to draw their swords and begin the battle frenzy that resulted in Mordred’s death, and Arthur’s mortal wound. 

Eco-Spirituality

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Eco-Spirituality in the 21st Century - ReVisioning Nature, Community, and Connection by Dana O’Driscoll & Nate Summers. Published by REDFeather Publishing. US $19.99 : UK £18.99 : Kindle £10.99    October 2025

This is a quality book with glinting printing on the cover, the reader will be impressed by this excellent material written by two specialists in the area of ecology and how it relates to spirituality. We o-ao-author can all learn a lot from this presentation. Dana 0’Driscoll is an Anamist Druid, currently serving as Grand ArchDruid in the Ancient Order of Druids in America. She authored the book ‘Sacred Actions’ and she is a Permaculture Practitioner. Her co-author, Nate Summers is an ancestral skills teacher and survival expert , and he authored the book, ‘Primal’ and ‘Shadow Survival’. 

The Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle - Revelations of Indigenous Wisdom by David Young, Robert Rogers & Russell Willier. Full colour book Published by North Atlantic Books. US $24.95: Can $28.95 

‘Our health is dependent on the health of other species.’

Healing plants of Native American traditions, especially the Cree, with practices and stories. These are 3 experts on the uses of plants and recorded them with warnings against misuse. We are all interdependent. A highly specialised book by Anthropologist, Dr David Young, Ethnologist, Robert Rogers, and Medicine Man, Russell Willier. English and Latin names of plants provided, an extensive bibliography, and maps of where to find the plants. 

Mary Queen of Angels Cards

Mary who is the beloved mother of Jesus and is known as the Queen of Angels for her ability to bring healing and positive change where hope has been lost. She works closely with advocates, teachers, therapists and mediums. She is devoted to making a safe world where our children and grandchildren can be happy and healthy. Her message to you is to expect a miracle and have faith that your prayers will be heard and answered. Faith is the light that illuminates your pathway. Without faith, the future can look threatening. It is essential for you to take any necessary steps to keep your mind focussed and your emotions balanced. Do not give up hope on yourself or on others. Keep the candle of faith burning within your soul. Just an inkling of light can eradicate the darkness of despair. You can be the light for others at a time of hardship, loneliness or sadness, to be there for others, shouldering their problems, help making them stronger, as in doing this, you will make yourself stronger too. You are asked to let go of worry and keep your thoughts positive. Notice and follow divine guidance, as it will present itself to you over the following month. If you can seek healing as it will help you manage situations that might be unexpected. If you would like to work closely with Mary, ask her at Christmas for a divine gift. 

Fairy Messages Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Review: Magical Messages from the Fairies Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue contains 44 cards plus 109 guidebook with 109 pages. £13.99 Various artists. 

This easy to use pack provides information on using the cards, such as how to consecrate them and receive an answer to a question. Ideal for a one card choice per day, there is also a three card spread or use of a multiple card spread suggested.  The book contains not just the title of the card, a picture and message, but in the book there is more information about the message. The card stock is excellent, as usual for Hay House, this deck is edged with gold leaf, and the artwork is of good quality. Some of the card titles are: 'Good-Bye to the Old, Hello to the New', 'Ask for What You Want', Your Wish is Granted', all cards carry a positive message and are ideal for first time users and can be used for self or others.

Mother Earth Mandala Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck: Mother Earth Mandala Oracle by Fanny Menardi. Published by US Games Systems Inc., box of 44 cards plus guidebook. U.K. £20 

The word mandala means, in Sanskrit, circle - one that is symbolically designed to represent the order of the cosmos and one where you can co-ordinate your own personal internal image of balance and harmony. In the Buddhist Mandala, the deity is within the centre and acts as a power source. One connects through the outer layers to the inner and out again as the deity's radiation affects all life around it. The cards have a wide range of motifs, such as sun, moon, butterfly, Inca, Egypt India and other symbolisms all with artwork using the pointellism style of multiple dots, giving the cards an Australian tribal art feel. You can use the cards to ask about your mission, integrity and authenticity or however you would like to, ask a question, such as What do I need to heal in this situation? Pick a card at random, lay out the entire deck face down and choose a card, or use a three-card past, present and future reading. The deck is intended to empower the individual in their spiritual journey and can be read for oneself or for another and is idea for a beginner with advice, guidance and inspiration. 

Fairy Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Card Deck Review: Fairy Oracle with text by Jaymi Elford and artwork by Victorian artist, Arthur Rackham. 36 cards and booklet in several languages, published by Lo Scarabeo, £15.99

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 

Journey to the Goddess Realm

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Journey to the Goddess Realm Oracle Deck by Lisa Porter, published by U S Games Inc. Pack contains booklet and 39 cards.
 "The goal of spirituality is to call forth our eternal spirit back into our earthly bodies."

36 cards carry a Goddess name as a title, a number, a related concept and an image pertaining to that Goddess energy. In the booklet, each Goddess has a short write-up (100-200 words per card) with associated keywords. Though the upright energy is positive, a shadow or a dark aspect of the Goddess is mentioned for reversed meanings.

Motherpeace Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Motherpeace Tarot by Karen Vogel and Vicki Nobel published by U S Games Inc. Three products in this range: The original Motherpiece Round deck, the Mini Deck, and the Guidebook and card set. 

This is a revolutionary modern deck (circa 1980) which features matriarchal cultures with an earth based spirituality. The creators searched the world for early goddess philosophy, myths, history and folklore whilst they were room-mates at Berkeley in California together. Both are life long feminists and interested in intuition, healing and the Divine Feminine. They produced these cards in the round - to be read not just as upright and reversed but with the four positions, so with innumerable potential for creative readings. The four suits of the Minor Arcana are Cups; Wands, depicted with African culture; Discs, illustrated with Navajo culture; and Swords, depicted with Greco-Roman imagery. The Court Cards are; Daughter, Son, Priestess and Shaman and many of the titles have changed, such as the Crone as the Hermit and the Hanged One as the Hanged Man.

Fairies Healing

Mind Body & Soul Ezine card review: Healing with the Fairies Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue, 44 cards and a 68 page guidebook with general meanings and instructions for working with the cards. £13.99 Artwork by various artists.

Sample reading:  'Awakening Your True Self'. The card's message is about discovering your authenticity and the person who you were born to be. This means you must go on a journey of discovery, for your true interests, passions and desires. You will discover your original sense of humour and childlike, innocent enjoyments. A cloud of falseness will be lifted as you no longer try to fit in with what someone else wanted you to be. Use the affirmation: I now give myself permission to be true to my self.

Doreen Virtue offers workshops, books, cards, etc., and her card decks are suitable for use for oneself or for another person. Within the deck there are no negative concepts and the deck is easy to use and can be used for a first time deck user. The artwork is enjoyable and features unicorns, imps, birds, water fairies, fireflies and otherworld images. Cards provide a title, such as 'Detoxification', 'Honouring Your True Feelings', and 'Stand Your Ground' and further information about each card is contained in the guidebook. 

Fenestra Tarot Review

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Fenestra Tarot by Chatriya, Published by US Games Systems Inc. £18.75 Pack contains 78 cards and instruction leaflet. Card size: 3” x 5” (7 x 12 cm). 

Thai artist Chatriya Hemharnvibul has produced this very beautiful card deck, having previously produced artwork for Wicca Cards. Definitely a fine colourist and expert figurative painter, the artwork will delight. The title of the deck ‘Fenestra’ means ‘windows’ in Latin and the intention behind the title is to open windows within the imagination. I think this is a deck, created by a female for females, due to its gentleness and soft energy. Only a little white information insert with very basic information in several European languages is included in the pack but the artwork of the cards says it all! 

The Egyptian Origins of King David and The Temple of Solomon

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Egyptian Origins of King David & The Temple of Solomon by Ahmed Osman. Published by Bear & Co. US $18.00: Can $22.50

The book’s dedication states it is : “To the followers of Hermes Trismagistus - those people, in different parts of the world, who never forgot the wisdom of ancient Egypt.”

The text questions the accepted narrative of the Old Testament to show its parallels in Egyptian history, including the origin of the 10 Commandments. Akhenaton, the first monotheist Egyptian king is presented as the prophet Moses. Tutmosis III is King David and Tuthmosis III was Solomon. The coronation of king Solomon is in accordance with Egyptian coronation customs and his reputation as a visionary, an animal whisperer, a magician and exorcist (using his ring to command demons with its Seal of Solomon). Solomon was said to have used demons to build Jerusalem and he imprisoned the spirits in water pots in the Temple when it was built. It also states that Isaac’s father was pharaoh Tuthmose III who married Sarah (Queen). Though Solomon founded Jerusalem with a Temple and Palace though evidence of these have not been found. After the Babylonian invasion and exile of 586BC, Cyrus of Persia defeated the Babylonians and gave permission to the Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild their Temple and this was completed around 6th century BCE, destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. 

The Wife of Jesus

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Wife of Jesus - Ancient Texts and Modern Scandals by Anthony Le Donne

Would an itinerant preacher have the responsibilities of a wife and children one wonders, especially as Jesus provoked ire from the powerful Jewish elite! The Essenes were celibate, and John, the cousin of Jesus, an ascetic, may have been an Essene. Maybe Jesus was too! There is question whether The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife is a forgery! Was Jesus married and if so, to whom? This is the subject of this study and unlike many sensationalised and lucrative accounts, it is dealt with in an academic manner by a scholar of Jesus and the time in which he lived, and with an open mind and without an agenda! It is written in a chatty and easy, modern style. 

Oracle of the Phoenix

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Oracle of the Phoenix By Christine Arana Fader. Illustrated by Elena Dudina.  Boxed set of 44 Cards and Guidebook. Published by Earthdancer. RRP US $19.99 : Can $24.99

“Feel the fire of transformation, the change begins within you.”

Each card has an image and title. In the book, more information is provided. Phoenix is a power animal and a soulmate. It is the divine firebird, the highest light of transformation, rebirth and renewal. In Egypt, it was called Benu, and in China, Feng, and in North America, Wakinyan. Consumed by fire, the bird rises from the ashes, transforms negative into positive, wrong into right, and provides messages for new paths, fresh perspectives, rejuvenation, and connects ancient wisdom.  It explains how to get the best from the deck, how to lay out the cards and interpret them. The book contains a prayer and a closing blessing, and 35 titles plus 4 Pegasus Jokers and a Master Card. Each card has a piece of advice, meaning for each card and an exercise. 

Crow Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Card Deck Review: Crow Tarot by M J Cullinane, published by U S Games Systems Inc.  £23.33 Release date: Sept 2023

Sample card: The Tower 16. Keywords: Drastic change, Upheaval, Catastrophe. Element: Fire. Each night, the crows gather to roast in the top of an old belltower that sits on a hill, away from the city lights. The tower has always provided a comfortable shelter that has offered security. However, the tower comes with a warning, do not become too comfortable or complacent. It could be whisked away in a flash. Mentally prepare yourself. Change is always afoot. Sometimes change happens and goes by virtually unnoticed, but not this time. You will feel it. It will shake your ground. How you manage this change will have a direct impact on how you will fare in the future. The energy caused by this change will spark something within that will move you towards a better place. How the pieces fall are up to you. Changes are inevitable, and when the tower is reversed, it is a sign that you are doing everything in your power to prevent necessary action. In doing so, you delay the experience you need to learn from in order to move forward.

The Spirit Animal Oracle

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Reviews: The Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid, Boxed set of 68 cards and guidebook, published by Hay House, U.K. £19.99 : US $29.99 : CAN $39.99 Card size: 6 “ x  4.5”

“The spirits residing in the natural world have much to share, and the secrets of their forgotten language are now available to us.”

The cards have a number, image, title and subtitle on the face and inside in the guidebook, there is a further 200 words of messages on upright cards and an addition 200 words of a protection message for each card that is reversed. 

The Medicine Woman Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Medicine Woman - Inner Guidebook - A Woman's Guide to her Unique Powers Using The Medicine Woman Tarot Deck by Carol Bridges, published by U S Games Systems Inc.

I like this book very much. It begins with a gypsy story about wholeness and the origin of the tarot. Information is provided on how to use the cards, preparing for a reading, etc. This Inner Guidebook is a teaching manual which takes the user on a journey of personal and spiritual improvement. With a Native American influence, it includes ancient wisdom, Earth honouring, personal power, and spiritual responsibility and progress, which are developed through visualisations, affirmations, exercises, diet advice, colours, invocations, a consciousness map, and grounded learning. 

Designed as a bridge to a loving world and a method of healing. 

The Secret History of Christmas Baking

The Secret History of Christmas Baking - Recipes and Stories from Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys by Linda Raedisch, ISBN 978-0-7387-7235-6, RRP $17:99. Published by Llewellyn Publications. (8 Sept, 2023)

This is a magical exploration of the sometimes dark and always intriguing history of some of our most beloved baked Christmas treats. Many have surprising origins with many twists and turns in their development into the festive delights that we enjoy today. 

The 300 pages of this book are delightfully crammed with recipes, and also crafts! Good old fashioned wholesome crafts like making your own Christmas star shaped cookie tray or a paper angel! Homemade marzipan and how to make your own candied peel to name just a selection of treats. All the instructions are easy to follow and offer the relevant historical information of each.

Gathered from all over Europe and sometimes dipping into the ancient exotic cultures of Persia, Arabia, and Egypt, Linda Raedisch delivers everything you need to get you in the mood for the season. Written with wit and passion, it is an unexpected page turner. 

 

Seeking Faery

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Seeking Faery - An Introduction to the Hidden World of the Fae by Emily Carding, with illustration by Siolo Thompson. Published by Llewelyn US $18..99

Pixies, Will o’the Wisp, the Sidhe, gnomes, and all the wonder of Faery land is here. Their crafts, behaviour and their extraordinary kingdoms are described and beautifully illustrated to helps you to honour and develop your relationship with these otherworld creatures. The book is aimed for beginners, but Faery exponents will also find new enjoyments here.

Ancient myths, history and folklore, poems, journeying, visions and meditations, two dozen voice and movement based exercises, Arthurian and Holy Grail connections, glyphs and symbol gateways, the moon directions and elements, the sacred landscape, wells, springs and guardian spirits, Faery etiquette, offerings and shrines, how to find your Faery ally and enjoin with a Faery tree, how to connect with nature, and Faeries throughout the year, are all wonders that are included, with a Faery vow and a Faery blessing. 

Yuletide Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Yuletide Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes, Art by Erin O`Leary Brown. Published by Llewellyn Worldwide ISBN 978-0-7387-7045-1 RRP $32:99

Yuletide Tarot is an absolutely charming and fascinating Tarot concept, which I believe is the first of its kind . It was created by Chief of the Anglesey Druid Order in Wales Kristoffer Hughes. He had casually mentioned to his Editor at Llewellyn that there was no complete Tarot that honoured the Christmas season. He was then asked if he would like to create a deck on this theme. The set is gloriously illustrated by Erin O'Leary Brown who specializes in children's illustration as well as botanical and nature themes. 

Moonology Diary

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Review: Moonology Diary by Yasmin Boland, published by Hay House. 

Be 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

Celtic Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Celtic Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes with illustrations by Chris Down, Quality presentation boxed set of 78 cards with accompanying full colour book published by Llewellyn Publications. Cost: £22.34

This deck is designed to connect the tarot with Celtic folklore and therefore embrace the power and magic of Celtic mysteries through the medium of the tarot cards.The book includes a brief history of tarot cards and explains who the Celtic peoples were and what their mysteries entailed. Also how to work with tarot. The Kabbalah is included. Trees were important and are included as a device within readings. The major arcana is divided into three parts from the roots to trunk and then branches.

The Major cards have an image, number and title, a text of explanation for each card, a divinatory meaning and a reversed meaning. There are also keywords and a legend written from the perspective of the card itself as though a channelled message.