Hunting the Nazarene by John Koerner

Mind Body & Soul Book Review! Hunting the Nazarene - The Second Resurrection of Christ by John Koerner, published by Chronos Books, paperback 106 pages £8.99

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book with its strange title. The author, Professor of American History, is well qualified to write a fascinating and well researched examination of the controversial 21st chapter of John's gospel. This last chapter has had a great deal of exegesis over the years. This is the first time, to my knowledge, that anyone has suggested that Jesus died and was resurrected twice. Historians have suggested this chapter was possibly added to an already completed gospel.

The Essential Lenormand Review

Mind Body Soul Ezine Book Review: The Essential Lenormand - Your Guide to Precise and Practical Fortunetelling by Rana George $21.99 Published by Llewellyn Worldwide.

The Lantern Oracle

Mind, Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Lantern Oracle by Angelina Mirabito, illustrated by Yuly Alejo,  Boxed set of 44 cards plus guidebook, published by Blue Angel Publishing, £17.99

Maybe this is more a deck for young people who will see their age group largely reflected in the illustrations though the deck is divided into four sections, Maiden, Mother, Guardian and Crone so all ages of women are reflected. Information on how to cleanse and use the cards includes a 40 day card working process where journaling is suggested. The book’s write ups assist with times of change, challenge and confusion. 

Two other spreads are provided: A 4 card ‘Lantern’, and a 5 card ‘Luminosity’.

A Theurigist’s Book of Hours

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: A Theurgist’s Book of Hours by Jeffrey S Kupperman, published by Avalonia Books. £18.99

From the introduction: In brief, prayer nurtures the mind, makes us more receptive to divine beings, habituates us to the otherwise potentially lethal divine light, perfects our ability to contact the gods, uplifts our minds to those of the gods, links us to them, purifies our pneumatic vehicle, brings out the divine element in the human soul, and makes us “the familiar consorts of the gods”. Prayer is so important that “no sacred act can take place without it”. 

The Shaman's Oracle Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Oracle card deck review: The Shaman's Oracle Cards for Ancient Wisdom and Guidance by John Matthews, illustrated by Wil Kinghan, Published by Watkins Publishing

Publishing in a good quality box with pull out drawer with excellent card stock. Pack contains hardback book, 52 cards and a template pictorial of a hand to aid reading. Pack price: £14.99, yes, brilliant value for money!

Information is provided about palaeolithic art which is found worldwide, in Australia, the Americas, Europe and China and has inspired the artwork for this deck. Each card carries a different image. Other information provided is about shamanism as an ancient spiritual practice. There is information on how to use the cards and how to frame questions. A sample layout helps with this process. Beautiful poems accompany each card. The images were excellent in transporting me into an inspirational space where the reading flowed quite naturally, sometimes without needing the book's

Animal Whispers Empowerment Cards

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Animal Whispers Empowerment Cards - Animal Wisdom to Empower, Heal and Prosper, by Madeleine Walker, illustrated by Richard Crookes, 45 cards plus booklet, publish by Findhorn Press, £14.99

Leonard da Vinci: There will come a day when men will deeply know the animals; and on that day, a crime against an animal will be considered a crime against humanity itself.

Quality magnetic box and good card stock, with a full colour booklet. Animal intuitive and healer, Madeleine Walker communicates telepathically with wild and domestic species, and delivers their messages of wisdom. She asserts all species wish for humanity to become one with them in love and compassion, to access the rhythms of nature and to know the guidance and inspiration that is available by studying them. Her travelogue details her insights and we can all do this through empathy and sensitivity. 

Sacred Mothers & Goddesses

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Sacred Mothers & Goddesses by Claudia Olivos, Boxed set of 40 Oracle Cards and Guidebook, published by Blue Angel £17.99

We look back at the earliest deities and we find a resurgence of interest in the sacred feminine to redress the imbalance of power that has dominated our world. The essence of the divine feminine is ready to be amplified! 

Gift box for tarot lovers! The Enchanted Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Review: The Enchanted Tarot by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber
Box containing 78 cards, 192 page fully illustrated guidebook Published by Connections Book Publishing Website: http://www.theenchantedworld.com/

We are invited to enter ‘a realm of myth and magic’ and this quality deck certainly delivers both by providing a depth of symbolism within traditional and other tales. I can vouch that this deck will come up to expectations for tarot card and art-work enthusiasts. Its strengths are its profound wisdom set within the card concepts and also the beauty and majesty of its illustrations (which can be viewed under a magnifying glass for added enjoyment).

The Journey to Enlightenment Tarot

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Journey to Enlightenment Tarot -A New Tarot for Alchemical Transformation by Selena Joy Lovett, illustrated by Daniela Manutius-Forster. Published by Watkins Publishing, Boxed set of companion Guidebook and 78 Cards  £19.99  Published Feb 2021 card size: 9.5cm x 13.5cm 

Sample: Card 18 The Moon Keywords: Intuition, mystery, dreams. This card can show up when you are not sure of your path forward. Let go of mental blocks and trust that intuition will lead you forward, shining its light to show you where to step. Don’t just take things at face value, listen to your intuition and feel into whether someone has a hidden agenda. Don’t allow an active imagination to confuse you further as you may be projecting your past fears onto what’s happening around you. Allow yourself time to feel into the situation, investigate. Make sure you are in the centre so that you can trust your intuition. Listen to your dreams as they may be heightened, showing you things you need to see.  Look at the cards around the moon to see the deeper meaning. Look at the cards that come next in the reading. 

The Journey for Card 18 The Moon. This energy is mysterious and has an immense power, and this could indicate something is hiding in the shadows, something that can’t be seen clearly. Uncover the solution by tapping into your intuition, identify your fears and move forward. Listen carefully to your dreams as they may be receiving intuitive wisdom dropped into your subconscious mind. Trust yourself and your instincts, take time to get into your centre and really know yourself and what you care about. 

The Inner Compass Deck

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review - Inner Compass Deck - Discover Your Authentic Self by Teal Swan, published by Watkins Publishing. Boxed set of Guidebook and 200 Cards, published Nov 2021 : £20.83

“Follow your North Star to Find Your True Values”

The North Star, Polaris, has been the guiding light for navigators for centuries. This deck provides the knowledge to follow a course of sincere spirituality. True and well thought out values will keep you on the right path to your destination and to a life of richest personal and spiritual values. Each card offers a different value, and provides a short explanation so your internal persona matches your external persona, so there is no insincerity, pretence, denial or conflict. You live in alignment with your vibrant identity and ongoing maturity.

Rituals to Change Your Life

Mind Body and Soul Ezine Book Review: 21 Rituals to Change Your Life by Theresa Cheung, quality paperback, published by Watkins Publishing, £7.99 Visit: www.theresacheung.com

Simple advice for ritual, i.e., ceremonies consisting of a series of actions performed in a prescribed way to change your life. Actions for each morning, such as breathing and prayer, honouring food and giving thanks.

Theresa Cheung is a best selling author who writes knowledgably and provides powerful methods that can improve your life. I really like this book and have incorporated many of the suggestions into my daily routine. 

Chakras The Essential Guide

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The Essential Guide to Chakras - Discover the Healing Power of Chakras for Mind, Body and Spirit by Swami Saradananda, quality paperback, £10.99 published by Watkins Publishing, 288 full colour pages.

This book is excellent value indeed for all the thorough and well organised information that it contains. It is a teaching guide as well as a reference book to work with the chakras for energy and healing. The book explains what chakras are, how to tell if they are malfunctioning, how to balance and cleanse them, how to protect yourself while working with them. There are exercises, meditations, breathing instructions, and mantras. Each of the seven major chakras are explained in detail, including yoga poses.

You Can Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse

Mind Body and Soul Book Review: You Can Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse The #1 System for Recovering From Toxic Relationships by Melanie Tania Evans. Published by Watkins Publishing. 224 pages Paperback: £7.00 Kindle: £6.99

Narcissists admire their own attributes far more than anyone else's. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a common trait  and can cause abuse by a parent, child, romantic partner, work colleague, neighbour, etc., and can relate to mental, physical, financial, sexual or spiritual abuse. In this book, the reader is informed as to recognition, how we attract a person with this pattern, the ways in which the abuse takes place, how to address the problem. The author, Malania Tania Evans, details her own  personal story of five years with an ex spouse, and how she developed the unique Quanta Healing Method to provide wisdom tools to identify, detach and release, heal and reclaim her life. Melania is a Narcissistic Abuse Recovery expert and she has coached and mentored hundreds of women who have suffered and states that we are all vulnerable to this type of subtle often hidden abuse due to empathy, forgiveness and unconditional love. 

 

12 Type Enneagram

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: The 12-Type Enneagram - Know Your Type. Improve Your Life By Matthew Campling. Published by Watkins Publishing, paperback: £10.99 250 pages, Author website: www.12egram.com

I like the traditional Enneagram as a method of personality definition, so when a new method is introduced, I feel excited. This book will be of interest to those who are entirely new to the Enneagram and to those who have experience of its insights.

The new development is to combine the Enneagram with astrological planets, such as Lunar, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, categorising 6 Main types and 6 Hybrid types. The book describes how to work with the system and another book by this author on the 12 types is currently in process. You can identify which you fall into, your family and friends, work colleagues, romantic partners, children and others. Even famous people are profiled.

The Ritual Yearbook

Mind Body Soul Magazine Book Review: 

The Ritual Yearbook - 365 Simple Daily Practices to Boost Happiness and Fulfilment by Theresa Cheung, published by Watkins Publishing, Paperback: 400 pages, £14.99 

The Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Theresa Cheung is a prolific writer and adds a huge further conveyor belt dimension - in fact 190 new rituals - to her previous book on 21 rituals for changing your life and an additional 21 rituals for igniting your intuition. There are rituals here for every possibility - sleep, health, energy eating, lifestyle, tranquility, finance, stress, mind, body and spirit, etc., etc. I tried a few! Good to take time out from pressing engagements and daily chores. This is 'me' time for sensual pleasure of candles, incenses, readings, cards, actions, meditations, contemplation, breathing and other interludes in a busy schedule. The last section is a 4 week plan ending in a number of closing rituals. You get your money's worth from this, for sure!

You are invited to contact the author either through her website above, or via her email address: angeltalk710@aol.com.

The Truth-Seeker's Tarot Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: The Truth-Seeker's Tarot - Oracle Cards of Insight, Clarity and Wisdom by The late Prof David Fontana with artwork by Sylvie Daigneault. Boxed set of 78 cards, plus an explanatory booklet titled 'Understanding the Tarot' £16.99 published by Watkins Publishing. 

The booklet contains autobiographical information about the author with information about archetypes and symbolism and how to use and work with the cards. The deck is presented as a progression along the path of inner development, described as 'the Fool's Journey'. Each of the 22 Major Arcana has a page of esoteric information and advice 'when you work with this card, ask yourself'. The basics of the Minor Arcana are included. The suggested spreads are: the Seven Card Horseshoe, the 6 card Celtic Cross, and the 11 card Tree of Life. The images are attractive with gold highlights. 

I am using as a sample the card of 'Justice' which is traditionally depicted as a woman, following the ancient Greeks for who Themis was the goddess of justice. Her sword is ready to cut through ignorance that impedes spiritual enlightenment and represents the spiritual power that divides Heaven and Earth and guards the gateway to the Garden of Eden; while her scales, help her to weigh the value of all things and maintain the balance between trhe material and the spiritual. In many cultures, they are a symbol for weighing good deeds against bad at the moment of judgment in the afterlife.
Justice wears the red robe of worldly power. 
When you work with this card, as yourself: Am I using my inner judgment to guide me on my journey of self-realisation? If not, what prevents me? By examining your integrity and weighing the pros and cons of your actions, you can try to attain perfect equilibrium in your life.  

The Blind Spot Oracle

 Mind Body  & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review:The Blind Spot Oracle Cards by Teal Swan, boxed set of 78 cards and guidebook, published by Watkins Publishing.

These quality cards are packed in a sturdy container with a comprehensive instruction book. Also in the pack are 49 non toxic, removable tattoos. The cards carry a design, described as a sigil, that was hand drawn and painted whilst undergoing a trance state. The artist and author of this deck has created each card to be a doorway and a manifestation of the required energy and to have magical powers. The design on these cards is a living entity in itself and each design influences the user as a teacher or guide would influence. 

The information on how to prepare for a reading, how to use this oracle, what might be missing, and the meaning of each card is of interest. Spreads offered are: The Conflict 2 cards, Time 3 cards, Responsibility 8 cards and Sector 4 cards. Titles are: Bypassing, Denial, Not seeing Signs, Blinding Optimism, Projection, Superiority, Enabling, Gaslighting, etc., etc.

The High Priestess!

I have chosen a comparison between four cards which have the same title ‘the High Priestess’. Firstly from Ciro Marchetti’s Gilded Tarot, the High Priestess is a dreamlike sylph which floats by a sliver of a new moon. It tells us to “pay attention and recognise that there are different ways of knowing. While the star and planets of the night sky can be charted and understood rationally, the same sky inspires us in ways foreign to our sense of reason.”  The Chinese New Year 2020 falls on 25th January and it is a Metal Rat Year (every Chinese Zodiac sign depicts an animal). Take a look in the dark sky and watch out for the new moon. 

Goddess Oracle by Wicca Moon Review

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Card Deck Review: Goddess Oracle by Wicca Moon. 40 full colour cards and guidebook. 

This deck was created as an act of service to the Goddess by the High Priestess, Shirlee Moon, and features paintings of women that she has admired and is proud to know. The artwork is by a local female artist. Each card has a title and subtitle to accompany the image, and also has 100 words of text to explain each Goddess and how to convey the meaning in a reading. 

Some unusual Goddesses are profiled in this deck, for example, Al-Sharatain, Sulis, Mother Bircher, Acanthis, Naga, Penthesilia, Yemaya, as well as many more familiar, such as, Athena, Gaia, Cerridwen, Isis, Hathor, etc. 

There is further information available on videos, visit: www.wiccamoonuk.com

A thoroughly enjoyable deck that accompanies a previous deck by the same author. 

The Creativity Oracle

Mind Body & Soul Card Deck Review: The Creativity Oracle - Visions of Enchantment to Guide & Inspire Magic Makers, by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber. A boxed set of 80 cards with full colour guidebook. £31.99

Amy Zerner provides us with her beautifully crafted fabric collages and Monte Farber provides the text for this very attractive deck that highlights and encourages us to add creativity to our lives. For a beginner or an experienced card reader, the cards can be used for oneself or to read for another person. The book includes information on how to use the cards which can be placed alongside a Tarot deck, such as The Enchanted Tarot or The Enchanted Love Tarot, both also produced by Amy and Monte. The Creativity Oracle can set a theme for a Tarot reading or used at the end of a reading for grounding.