Sacred Sites Oracle Cards review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Sacred Sites Oracle Cards - Harness Our Earth's Spiritual Energy to Heal Your Past, Transform Your Present and Shape Your Future by Barbara Meiklejohn-Free, with illustrations by Yuri Leitch. A set of 53 cards plus full colour guidebook in a drawer pull crush proof box. £14.99 Published by Watkins Publishing. The deck is divided into four colours, representing the directions of North, East, South and West, and each card has a symbol related to it and depicts a lower, middle and upper World area (the past, present and potential). You are guided how to use the cards for greatest benefit. The book offers an array of ceremonies, prayers, meditations, and exercises. Prepare yourself for a sacred site visit and take the cards withi you; the energies in ancient sites are kept special only by those who visit them with calm connection and respect.
"Disperse, dissolve, cleanse and clear, make space for divine guidance here'.

Natural Magic

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Natural Magic - Spells, Enchantments and Self-Development by Pamela J Ball, published by Capella Ring in a binder book describing, since earliest times across the world, the mystery, wonder and excitement of spiritual traditions and belief systems. With rituals, blessings, prayer, meditations, spells and symbols; information about elements, sacred space, lunar magic, etc. Well presented in workbook style, I enjoyed this book and learnt much that is practical, creative and imaginative.
The author is from Hawaii and is a writer of great renown with these additional books to her name:

Arcanum Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Arcanum Tarot by Renata Lechner, published by Lo Scarabeo (also Llewellyn) 78 cards and multi-lingual lwb. 2018 12cm x 7cm. 

From the word ‘arcanum’, meaning mystery or secret, this Tarot deck has been named. The images are digitally produced photos, ideal for modern, young, readers and enquirers, created by Renata Lechner, with author, Jaymi Elford who authored the Steampunk, the Art Nouveau, Thelma Tarot and the Runic Tarot decks. 

Based on Rider Waite Tarot, Court Cards are traditional King, Queen, Knight, and Page. Cups are blue, Pentacles are green, Wands are gold, and Swords are blue/grey. 

This full colour Tarot deck is included in the Total Tarot Collection course, Magazine numbers 18 & 19. 

The Priestess of Light Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Priestess of Light Oracle by Sandra Anne Taylor and Kimberly Webber, published by Hay House, boxed set of 53 cards with guidebook. US $21.99 Can $28.99 

“You have the power to transform your life”. 

This is a collaboration by the authors, with Kimberly Webber, a Contemporary Symbolist Fusion artist,  also providing the card’s oil paintings of animals and the divine feminine archetypes, including geometric designs and mandalas. The original paintings are made with lapis powder, azurite, mica, marble dust, malachite, gold, copper, and cobalt. This is her first card deck and has many admirers. 

Information is given on how to read the cards, and the guidebook provides 500 words of guidance on life issues, patterns and influences to bring joy, achievement, confidence, and awareness with affirmations.  Read through the guidebook before choosing cards to read for yourself and others. In time, you will develop your own interpretation style as you develop greater intuition and trust to explore. We are all priestesses (and priests) of light. The deck was created to reveal the sacred light within every person, animal, element, and totem (tree, stone, river, mountain, antler), and how to maximise its power. A short invocation is provided. You will become a Priestess of Light, and increase the sacred ceremony that is your life. 

Mystical Kipper

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Mystical Kipper is a very elegant deck of 36 fortune telling cards, created by Regula Elizabeth Fiechter and the artist, Urban Trosch, and published by the card deck specialist, AGM Urania.

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. 

The Stone Circle Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Stone Circle Oracle - Transformation Through Meditation by Sophia Kelly Shultz. Boxed set of 45 Cards and b/w Guidebook. Published by Schiffer Books. RRP US $39.99 

There are no wrong answers! 

Sample card and text: Phoenix Emergent: keywords: Rise Out of Darkness. Failure is part of life. Rise up. The courage to try again. Rebirth. Renewal. Emergence of a new consciousness. Out of a dark, swirling void rises the magnificent phoenix, renewed after being reduced to ashes. The Phoenix occurs in many mythologies worldwide. Destined to be destroyed and then rise from its own ashes, it is a creature of rebirth and regeneration. But in order for the Phoenix to rise, it must fall and burn. No one wants to fall, to crash and burn, but it’s normal part of the cycle of life. Whether because of situations of our own making or because of health issues, a family death, or severe injury, we all experience times when we feel like we have been beaten, our lives laid bare. There seems to be nothing to guide us. We are all extremely resilient, and as we explored previously, it comes in many forms. The long darkness evaporates and we find we are not the same person who was plunged into the darkness, but someone different, brighter, with elements burned away. It was a painful process, but look at the result! 

Dream Oracle Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Dream Oracle Cards - for the Awakened Dreamer by Kelly Sullivan Walden with artwork by Rassouli, Published (2nd edition) by US Games Systems Inc.

53 of the most frquently dreamed symbols are profiled as love letters from home, written in our first language, the language of the soul, speaking in images and metaphors from our unconscious mind. The book provides a meaning and mantra for each of the 52 cards with insights into the dream. 

Information is provided on how to work with this deck. The cards are presented in alphabetical order, such as Airplane, Angel, Award, Baby, Bathroom, Box, Bridge, Car, Cat, Ceremony, Child, Colour, Computer, Dance, Doctor, Falling, Fire, Flower, Flying, Key, Money, Naked, Ocean, Party, Teeth, etc., all common dream symbols that are al around us and to decode and to understand them and why they appear in our dreams will help us to 'awake' and to understand our life in greater depth. For wach symbol there is a message, meaning and mantra. 

Da Vinci Enigma Tarot

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Da Vinci Enigma Tarot - by Caitlin Matthews, Boxed set of book and 78 cards with artwork taken from Leonardo's notebook drawings and writings, published by St Martin's Press. For more information: https://redfeathermbs.com/writing-the-da-vinci-enigma-tarot/

For the author, tarot is not a method of fortune telling but a method to prepare for the next move by examining the present situation. We are urged to ask questions of this oracle. Sayings and quotes from Leonardo are included with information on elements, numbers, shuffling, choosing, clearing, augmenting, bridging and interpreting. Reversals of card meanings are provided but the card backs are not intended for upright AND reversed meanings. 

Each Macrocosm card (the Greater Archetypal World) has more than a page of explanation and is given untraditional titles, such as Enigma for II, Twins for VI, Imagination for VII, Time for X, Experience for XII, Passover for XII, Pain and Pleasure for XV, Deluge for XVI, Way Shower for XVII, Conception for XVIII, Birth for XIX, Renewal. Each of these 22 cards have a Latin numeral, a title, a message, an explanation of the image and background information to help with the reading, such as Soul-code, upright reading, reversed and disconnected. For the Microcosm cards (the Lesser Manifest World) each have a title, a message, and an explanation of the background of the image, a soul-code, reversed and information about a disconnected energy relating to the card. 

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.

Fingerprints of Fire

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Fingerprints of Fire - Footprints of Peace - A Spiritual Manifesto from a Jesus Perspective by Noel Moules  Paperback £12.99

Noel Moules is the founder of 'Workshop' a Christian vocational training programme based in the UK under the auspices of a registered charity, the Anvil Trust. 

How can we discover the Jesus of the New Testament and understand his message of love, hope and peace after two thousand years of religious schism and manipulation? 

Pre-Raphelite Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Pre-Raphelite Tarot with art by Giuliano Costa published by Lo Scarabeo. 78 full colour cards with multilingual lwb. 6.5cm x 12cm. RRP £25

The inspiration for this deck comes from the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, who were an artistic group who signed the paintings with the initials PRB, and had as their emphasis “ Beauty as the defined essence intrinsic in every aspect of creation.” Here we see the divine embodied in nature, in romance, and in the mystique of this beautiful and enchanting Tarot deck. Card backs are not mirrored so you know which way the cards have fallen in the layout. 

Da Vinci Tarot

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: "Leonardo Da Vinci Tarot" with Artwork by Iassen Ghiuselev and Atanas Atanasov and the text of the little white booklet included in the pack by Mark McElroy. Published by Lo Scarabeo. 

The basis of the 78 images in this deck are artworks of Leonardo da Vinci which have soft muted and sepia tinted tone. Computer graphics have been added to Leonardo's artwork to create this tarot deck and I enjoyed the cards and was transported back in time to Renaissance Italy. As Leonardo might have met Ludovico de Sforza who commissioned the earliest tarot decks of his time, maybe there was a consideration of the tarot in Leonardo's mind. 

 

Tarot of Dreams

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Ciro Marchetti's 'Tarot of Dreams' boxed set of 83 cards plus written guidebook by Lee Bursten, published by U S Games Systems Inc. http://www.ciromarchetti.com

These cards are inspired by dreams, but not the type of daydreams or fantasies, hopes or inspirations, but by the dreams we have at night whilst we sleep and are a communication between the unconscious and the conscious mind and lead us to greater personal understanding and understanding of the world's collective unconscious. The cards are designed to inspire us to develop new perspectives, examine our associations and to encourage us to think creatively. Our learning can be limitless.

Kuan Yin Oracle

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Kuan Yin Oracle - Blessings, Guidance & Enlightenment from the Divine Feminine by Alana Fairchild, artwork by Zeng Hao. Boxed set of 44 cards plus guidebook, published by Blue Angel Publishing. £17.99

“May your heart be opened and touched by Kuan Yin, Divine Mother of Compassion. May you realise her beauty is a mirror of your own divine Soul.” Om Kuan Chi Yin Poosa - Om Mani Padmi Hum!

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. 

Mystical Lenormand Review

This video explains how to read the Mystical Lenormand deck. 

Quality German tarot and oracle card publisher, AGM Urania has produced this inspired oracle card deck, designed by the medium, Regula Elizabeth Fiechter with artwork by the skilled, Urban Trosch. Both creators are experienced card specialists. In addition to the Mystical Lenormand, Fiechter has created the Mystical Kipper cards (and others), and Trosch has also provided very competent artwork for the Mystical Kipper (and others).

The Wisdom of Trees Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Wisdom of the Trees Oracle - Inspirational Cards for Wisdom and Guidance by Jane Struthers, Boxed set of 40 cards and guidebook. Published by Watkins Publishing. U.K. : £15.99  US : $19.95 : CAN : $21.95 

Nice drawer pull box containing quality cards and full colour instruction book. The deck is divided into 4 suits: Roots (blue and being), Trunk (brown and healing), Leaves (green and wisdom) and Flower, Fruits and Seed (russet and power). Each card presents an attractive tree and title. Booklet information adds subtitles, botanical species, properties, myths, cultural associations and a channelled message from the tree deva (nature spirit). Thereare readings for upright and inverse cards. 

Information is provided on how to use the deck, think of your question, shuffle, deal and chose your spread. Spreads suggested are Single-Card Question that has a sample reading, Past, present and future (3 cards), also with a sample reading, Horseshoe Spread (7 cards) also with a sample reading. It is suggested you keep a record of your readings. 

Sample: Oak diva message I am strong and steady and I am an essential part of the age a child mysteries of the forest. If you’re calling me I can give you alter physical power and inner emotional strength whenever you need them let me show you the way.

Medicine Cards

From Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson I have chosen Owl, the Sacred Medicine Bird associated with magic and observation of truth. 
The poem on the card is: 'Owl, Magic, Omens, Time and space. Does the truth emerge? Casting out deception, silent flight, Sacred Medicine Bird'. 
We are instructed to steer away from anything harmful and use the capacity of the owl to be aware, to see through deceptions and look behind us. We must be vigilant, see what others cannot see and move swiftly when we need to do so. Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom and her symbol is the owl, her familiar, which reveals unseen things to her so she can speak the truth to power with confidence. Originally a War Goddess, through wisdom she became the Goddess of Civilisation. 

A Better World is Possible

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: A Better World is PossibleBy Bruce Nixon Published by O Books   395 pages Paperback £14.99 Author website: Free download available on this link: http://www.brucenixon.com/pdf/abetterworld.pdf

Bruce Nixon worked as a transformational advisor to many large international corporations and he is now a campaigner and consultant on environmental issues. He is the author of ‘New Approaches to Management Development’ (1981) ‘Global Forces: A Guide for Enlightened Leaders – what companies and individual can do’ (2000) ‘Making a Difference – Strategies and Tools for Transforming Your Organisation’ (2001) and ‘Living System: Making Sense of Sustainability’ (2006) and numerous articles, many of which are available on his website.

Phantasma Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Phantasma Tarot by Paulina Fae, Boxed set of 78 cards and guidebook, published by US Games Systems Inc., 5/8/2021 £17.99 : $22.95

This is a remarkable tarot, full of daydreams and supernatural visions of mystical and otherworldly creatures. A rich delight of wonder and beauty, presence and mastery. Beyond wild and delightful! Worth buying for the artwork alone! The deck is inspirational, and offers new pathways, paradigms and powers from the cards’ messages and suggested life lessons. Some Major arcana are retitled, take for example Number 15 The Djinn and here Number 5 The Mentor. 

Sample card: 5 The Mentor - Welcome the mentor of esoteric knowledge. As a teacher of wisdom, spiritual guidance, and peace of mind, he shares the knowledge of past and present life experiences. He’s here to remind you to learn not only from outer sources, but also to learn from within. Representing perpetual interaction, the lemniscate on the Mentor’s forehead connects him to the roles of the hierophant; infinitely teaching and infinitely learning. Message: Ask yourself how your belief system affects your life. Align your actions with ideals. Consider shaking up your old routine and paradigms, and venture into the unknown. Remember your power, and let your curiosity unearth your sacred truth. Keywords: Open-mindedness, discovery, questioning, seeking, self in empowerment. Reversed message: You have the power to peel away structured restrictions. Reversed Keywords: Close mindedness, satiety, herd mentality, status quo, self-doubt. 

Spiritsong Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Spiritsong Tarot by Paulina Cassidy, published by US Games Inc. Boxed set of 78 cards plus information booklet. Cards size: 3" x 5" Price Point: UK £15.34 US S17.99  

All 78 cards (Major and Minor Arcana) are individual artworks where animals rest in a fairyland bower of swirls, flowers. leaves and dots, like sand on a dreamlike seashore. The deck unites the traditional wisdom of tarot cards with the shamanic tradition, where animals provide spirit guidance and learning. The intention of this combination is to provide empowerment and insight, and connection to our higher self through the traditional wisdom of animals.

The four suits are: Acorns for wands, Feathers for swords, Shells for cups, and Crystals for pentacles. Each card carries an image, title and a few keywords. Some cards have had a creative name change: The Fool is now The Traveller; the Hierophant is Shaman; The Lovers is Love; Death is Transformation; The Devil is The Shadow, and others, always erring on the side of a positive and uplifting meaning. The booklet provides greater information on how to use the cards, their more advanced meaning, and suggested spreads, such as: One Card Oracle Reading, Three Card Oracle Reading, The Spiritsong Star (6 cards); The Spiritsong Healing (6 cards) and the Spiritsong Tree of Life (10 cards). Reversed meanings are included and the card backs do not expose which way the cards are laid.

Messages from the Spirits of Nature Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Messages from the Spirits of Nature Oracle by Dr Steven D Farmer. Art by Scott Breidenthal. Boxed set of 44 cards and guidebook. Published by Hay House

Dedicated to restoring of our relationship to nature, and the knowledge of how we are a necessary part of the intricate web of this planet’s amazing life. 

From the box lid: Discover the Magic of Communicating with the Spirits of Nature

The intention of Messages from the Spirits of Nature Oracle is to help us to connect to the beauty, majesty and wisdom of the elements; to help us to understand the messages from plants, rivers, stones and species; and to help us to honour the natural world and appreciate how it can guide and teach us. The deck provides a revival of the ancient shamanic knowledge and is designed to help shift our consciousness towards navigating through the challenges we face, personally and collectively. 

Awaken the High Priestess Within

Mind, Body and Soul Ezine Review of the Isis Oracle Cards, 44 card and 220 page book boxed set by Alana Fairchild. Full colour illustrations by Jimmy Manton Published by Blue Angel Publishing.

🌟 My most favourite oracle deck! We are invited to ‘Awaken the High Priestess Within’ but the card deck can be used by males and females alike. The book has b/w illustrations of the cards, all with wonderful titles, such as Enter the Chamber of Healing, Lady of the Stars, Serpent of Fire, Temple of Black Obsidian. Each card has a substantial write-up and offers an in-depth understanding of the card, a practical healing ritual and a poetical incantation.    

We are invited through 'ancient mystery teachings of Isis' to become 'initiated' through our struggle with difficulty and uncertainty to re-activate our soul talents for healing, love and self-mastery. Practical ways are suggested to help us to do this. 

Water Color Lenormand

Bouquet - The Card of Wishes Granted

WATER COLOR LENORMAND

This deck consists of 39 cards designed by S M Senden, a scientific illustrator who was impressed with the amazing accuracy of the Lenormand system of cartomancy. The elegant simplicity of the images are presented in original water color paintings by Senden that are true to the original Lenormand images without the inserts.

This deck is perfect for the beginner who is learning the symbols of the Lenormand cards, and it is also suitable for the advanced readers who like the clean lines and elegant simplicity of these cards. The Dog card is a beautiful rendition of an Irish Wolfhound that captures the nobility of this handsome animal - a fiercely loyal dog that is gentle and loving unless threatened. The Ring card features intertwined rings as another way to express the concept of cycles. The Mice Card are nibbling and wielding their destructive actions. The Snake card is pictured with two heads to underscore the deception that this card implies.

Mystical Lenormand Review

The Mystical Lenormand Cards are a small size which are useful when laying the entire deck on the table for an 'All Card Spread' reading. They are small, the size of cards used in the 1800s. 

Each card is numbered and has an astrological designation. The reader looks at the chosen scene as though through a window, as if into another world. Animals are frequently featured. The Mystical Lenormand is a card deck that any card reader will find meditative and enlightening, not just in the short term, but as a deck of great depth and understanding that they will never tire of using.

Nature Quest Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Nature Quest Oracle  - Taoist Wisdom for Modern Times by Theresa Hutch. Boxed set of 50 cards and guidebook. Published by U S Games Systems Inc. £21.67 

Sample: Truth - Lao Tzu We give without expecting anything in return. We do not dwell on past accomplishments, and do not glory in any praise. Great savages never praise or blame. They live above the common drama of ordinary folks. In doing so, they tap into a greater consciousness and glow in a way that draws others near. Not much is known about Lao Tzu, the writer of the Tao, but he was able to tap into greater consciousness and describe the importance of humility, balance and flow. Tao #77 The Tao of heaven works in the world like the drawing of bow. The top is bent downwards and the bottom is bent up. The excess is taken from and the deficient is given to. Who is able to give to others from the excess? Only someone who is following the way of the Tao. Reflections: find lightness and playfulness in your day. Notice when you get caught up in a drama. Be more like water, strong yet yielding. Affirmation: go with the flow. 

Totem Guardians Oracle Deck

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Totem Guardians Oracle Deck by Tanya Bond. Boxed set of 42 cards and guidebook. Published by U S Games Systems Inc. £16.66 

Sample: 18 Cat. Cat spirit animal reminds you to embrace your physical form, connecting with internal feelings and physical sensations. We often reside in our head and rarely consult the wisdom of our body. Sleep when you need to, move when you yearn for physical activity, eat when you need nourishment. There is an intrinsic wisdom in your body. It helps you notice internal issues, energies and emotions that have become stuck. These feelings and memories need an outlet. Listen to your body, explore the sensations, even the uncomfortable ones. They all carry a message for you of an inner hurt denied, and inner cries unheard, that desperately want to communicate with you. As you direct your attention towards your inner life, you will notice that stuck feelings can manifest as heat, cold, electricity and magnetism. Your conscious attentions will help release these trapped thoughts and feelings from your body. 

Spirit of the Animals Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Spirit of the Animals Oracle by Jody Bergsma. Published by U S Games Systems Inc. £25.00

Sample : Moose- Wisdom. The Moose is a powerful totem. This is a powerful totem. It has a unique energy with many contradictions, awkward yet graceful, plain but beautiful and they have a strong presence. Most are masters of wisdom and perception. In spite of their large size, Moose are swift, confident and fearless. They stand 7 feet tall with a crown of antlers almost as wide. The antlers are said to act as antenna in the secrets and teaching from the wise ones. If Moose is your totem, you are a mystic and sit in the council of the ancestors. You are smart and outstanding in your field. You are intuitive, and from an early age you have experienced connections to spirit that have alluded others. You area survivor. Moose live a long life. Your lofty heights are not for the many but for the few. With Moose, you are sure to travel the long winding path to your destiny, wisdom and mastery. If the card falls upside down, have you wondered into negative territory? Have you ignored your intuition and been led down the wrong path? Do not worry. You are a strong individual that can handle anything. When in a struggle, take the higher ground. 

Vlad Dracula Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Vlad Dracula Tarot created, written and illustrated by Travis McHenry, boxed set of 78 cards plus book. Published by Rockpool Publishing. US $ 25.95 : U.K.: £21.99

Gold leaf edged cards in a red and black box with gold lettering. Card size: 2 and a half inches by 4 and a half inches. 

After a visit to Romania and hearing stories of Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476) the author developed an obsession with the character, his exploits, and the times and place in which he lived.

Tarot Apokalypsis Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Tarot Apokalypsis, published by Lo Scarabeo, text by Kim Huggens, artwork by Erik C Dunne. Boxed set of 79 cards and full colour hardback book 464 pages. £27.99

Who are you today in the Land of Apokalypsis?

This is the follow up to the award winning Tarot Illuminati, which was the first collaborative tarot deck between these two great tarot specialists, Kim Huggins and Erik Dunne, and is produced by the prestigious Tarot publishing house, Lo Scarabeo. It offers rich symbolism, astrological and kabbalistic meanings, and takes us across the world to ancient myths. To this deck, a new card has been added, creating 79 card deck.

The Kuan Yin Transmission

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Kuan Yin Transmission by Alana Fairchild, 55 printed text cards in a box £16.99, published by Blue Angel Publishing. Card size: 4.5cm x 10cm. 

For use for the self, not for readings for others. Cards carry a text of 30 words. An ideal gift of short aphorisms for a young person embarking on life! Choose a card and read the short text. I miss artwork on cards. 

Examples of text: 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot 78 cards and guidebook Headless Horseman edition by Nick Lawyer. Published by Red Feather Publishing, RRP 29:99

What a wonderful way to honour the Irving Washington classic gothic novel of 1822 "The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow" and the season of Autumn as well as the art of Tarot all in one hit of a magical creation - if it emitted a pumpkin spice aroma as it was opened it would be too much!

As it is, it is perfect. 

Nick Lawyer is a genuine lover of all things Halloween as can be seen by his "grim" but gorgeous artwork which can be found on his Instagram page. Only seconded by his love of the classic novel The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

which he reads every October with his family as an Autumn tradition of their own. The passion shows through in this stunning deck. The artwork is a clever blend of the classic RWS Pamela Coleman Smith style along with striking use of colour and symbolism that weaves the dark mysteries of the story and its famous characters seamlessly with the classic RWS Tarot. 

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.

Seeking the Spirits of Palo Kimbisa

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Seeking the Spirits of Palo Kimbisa - Exploring the Mysterious World of the Afro-Cuban Religion. Tata Rodriguez as told to Sophia Kelly Shultz. Published by Schiffer Publishing (2021). $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-7643-6090-9 

'The law of the jungle!'

There are several branches of the Palo practice - Nriycomba, Briyumba, and Kimbisa. These are oral traditions. Kimbisa developed 150 years ago from the Bantu people of the Congo who came as slaves to America. It includes influences from Franciscan, Freemason and Afro-Cuban philosophy. It is related to primitive Spiritism practices such as Candomble, Umbanda, and Santería. 

Tabula Mortem Spirit Board

Mind Body & Soul Ezine  - Tabula Mortem Spirit Board - Communicate with the Beyond by Judas Knight, Jerome VanDyke, Jacob VanDyke, and Jordan VanDyke. Published by US Games Systems Inc. 5th August 2021 Boxed set of board, pendulum and instruction book. $21.95 : £21.99 

This is a modern spirit board used to contact the spirit world. The box contains a fold out board, 16 inches x 16 inches, and a pendulum with a 12 inch chain. Full instructions are provided in the accompanying book on how to use and store the board and pendulum, to use incense and candles for readings, with recommendations to make notes for this communal activity. There is a poem for blessing the board, a grounding meditation and information on how to make an offering to the Lwa. Information is given on the origins and history of the planchette/ouija (wee-gee) board, with explanations of the process, what happens after death, of superstitions related to the board, and warnings of Lwa, elementals and shells. 

Journey to the Dark Goddess

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review:  Journey to the Dark Goddess – How to Return to Your Soul by Jane Meredith Published by Moon Books  Paperback: £12.99 Author website: http://www.janemeredith.com/

Jane Meredith, a Goddess practitioner, writer and ritualist, provides a valuable method to relieve depression and grief by integrating a darker part of our life which is repressed to our detriment. The ancients provided a map in the form of myth. Life wisdom is achieved in confronting death before it happens. The Goddess was the one who wove the thread of life, cast on, and struck down, and She is the one to guide our journey to a life review - and to wholeness.

Dark Goddess Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Dark Goddess Tarot by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, published by REDFeather Publishing. Boxed set of book and cards. $34.99 : UK  £31.99 ISBN:  978-0-7643-6022-0 

Quality presentation box with magnetic fixing; inside we have a full colour books with substantial information and 78 gold leaf edged cards with recognisable artwork images. Excellent multicultural women’s tarot deck, for all ages and body shapes. The deck is based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot with variations. In addition to traditional RWS titles, there are Dark Goddess Tarot titles. In the book, a subtitle is given for each card, and a short sentence. The information provided on each Goddess, her myths, attributes, symbols, life and powers. There is also an advice section about drawing each card. 

I. Lucifer

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: I. Lucifer -Exploring the Archetype and Origins of the Devil by Corvis Nocturnum, published by REDFeather Publishing $19.99 Full colour! ISBN: 978-0-7643-3919-6 

Evil must be faced and named. Carl Jung. 

There are many books of this title! I liked this book and the subject matter though my first reaction was negative as I thought it might be a promotion or an excuse for the worst of human mentality, however, I have been convinced by the importance of the subject matter. The author has produced a thorough study of all aspects of myths, archetypes, symbols, and related ideas and behaviour pertaining to this subject. The reader is provided with creation stories, poems, quotes, paintings, and other instances and examples, including dark gods, named as Satan, the Devil, Lucifer, etc., those who perform evil, such as sociopaths, and questions of our own possible forbidden and repressed desires. 

The Witches' Almanac

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Witches' Almanac

A wonderful example of a Book of Shadows for the budding witch, pagan or occultist with recipes, tree lore, moon phases, charms, spells, secrets, reviews, diary events, quotes, places of interest, music, poetry, gods and goddesses, astrology, garden planting, incantations, reminiscences and personal learning. Sketches, photos, drawings, etc.

Delightful and useful spiritual journaling!
Review: Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk

Shining Tribe Tarot Review

Mind Body and Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: 

Shining Tribe Tarot (previously Shining Woman Tarot) by the late Rachel Pollack is a wonderful tarot deck of 78 illustrated cards, inspired by international myths and stories, shamanic journeys, esoteric traditions, tribal art and other creative enjoyments. There are standard tarot, Native American, Kabbalistic, prehistoric rock art, fairy tales and other influences. There are scenes from Greece, North America, Malta, Ireland, England, France, Denmark and the Netherlands. 

The original title of 'Shining Woman Tarot', refers to the last card of the major arcana, usually titled 'The World'. The image is a celebration of life and appears in several images throughout the card deck, such as, 'The Tower', '3 of Stones' and 'Awakening'. Images of animals occur, such as the turtle (tortoise), toad, snake and fish. Some of the traditional tarot titles have been changed, such as 'Tradition' and 'The Hanged Woman'. There is the ‘soul's journey’ through the major arcana from birth to enlightenment. The four suits are descriptive of human experience in all its varied forms. Wands (fire) are trees: Cups (water) are rivers: Swords (air) are birds: Pentacles (earth) are stones. Each card is given a poem and a write up in the accompanying book. 

Chicken Soup

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: 'Chicken Soup for the Soul - Stories that restore your faith in human nature' By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen published by Vermillion in the  Books That Change Lives Series, this is one of the Chicken Soup series, a 300 pages paperback, 8 million copies sold from the self-help and inspirational category.

Druidry & Meditation

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Druidry and Meditation By Nimue Brown Paperback £11.99 172 pages

Nimue Brown is a Druid celebrant, a Pagan Federation volunteer and has completed her OBOD (Order of the Bards, Ovates and Druids) training. She has been involved with the Druid Network and is a founder member of the West Midlands’ Druid Gorsedd, Bards of the Lost Forest, has run a closed ritual group, a folk club and is an experienced workshop facilitator and meditation teacher. She facilitates meditation groups within the UK Druidry community and has written this insightful and stimulating book on the use of Western style meditation for group and individual Druid practise. She includes passive and active exercises to deepen experience and awareness, and provides philosophy to aid personal and spiritual development and an understanding of the sacred.

Hush Tarot

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Hush Tarot by Jeremy Hush, published by US Games Systems Inc. £20 Boxed set of 78 cards and guidebook. Card size: 5” x 3.5”. 

Image: 4 of Wands: Celebration of accomplishment. A time of celebrating and remembering all those who have helped along the way. It has not been always smooth, but you handled the thorns and now reap the beauty.

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. 

Writing a Life Story - Sara-Beth Watkins

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Telling Life’s Tales – A Guide to Writing Life Stories for Print and Publication by Sara-Beth Watkins Published by Compass Books 134 pages paperback £9.99 

So many ordinary people want to write a memoir, an autobiography or life story but do not know where to start. The market is competitive so you must be well informed in order to give yourself a very good chance of writing a really readable, enjoyable and interesting book.  This primer provides the best start for a total beginner. The author is a tutor at the Open College and teaches creative writing. She has 20 years’ experience as a freelance writer, has written three fantasy e-books and two other books for

Communal Meditation

Building community is about more than just interacting with a few, like-minded people. Real communities span age groups, and have diversity as well as areas of commonality that enable connections. Shared meditation can be used to provide some common ground and bring otherwise disparate people together.

Coming together to share a specific interest creates a good foundation for a community. Performing a communal activity can build bridges because issues of wealth, class, race and also religion become secondary to the work in hand. So much of our life does not encourage us to mingle with people outside our normal sphere and so our communities readily reflect too much of what we already know and think rather than opening new doors.

Sacred Geometry - Francine Hart

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Sacred Geometry Cards For the Visionary Path By Francene Hart 64 colour cards and 146 page b/w book Published by Bear & Co Price: £33
Author's website: http://www.francenehart.com/

This deck can be used with the Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck by Francine Hart or alone. Each card bears an original water-colour painting by this visionary artist who specialises in geometry and mandalas and lives in Hawaii where a place of quiet retreat inspired the design on the reverse of the cards (an artwork entitled 'Sunset Activation'). The card images were inspired by Spirit, geometric, science and celestial patterns, shape and form, wave and vibration, crop circles and chakras. Many bear fairly abstract images of creatures of sea, land and sky, including the human form. The cards can be read in upright and upturned mode and the reading upturned is an amplification of the stated upright value. The intention of the cards is for guidance, balance and encouragement. 6 spreads are offered, including a 3 card titled 'Synergy', a 4 card titled 'Earth

Deep Equality

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Deep Equality - Living in the flow of natural rhythms By Jocelyn Chaplin  Paperback: £9.99 Author's blog: http://jocelynchaplin.wordpress.com

Feminist philosopher and psychotherapist, Jocelyn Chaplin, is a popular speaker and teacher and is the author of Love in an age of Uncertainly and Feminist Counselling in Action. In this latest book, she describes how we can only achieve fairness and justice in society by aiming for rhythmic rather than hierarchical behaviour.

Our earliest and most ancient memories are related to the rhythms of the planet, the flow of the tides, the patterns of the movements of the sun and moon and of our own heartbeat and other bodily rhythms. By increasing our awareness of these natural pulses we can improve our wellbeing. If we can flow in harmony with our energy levels and circumstances, we can be happier and healthier and experience more gentle and enjoyable relationships which offer true understanding and kindness.