Nefer Khepri's Magickal Musings

Deck Review: Tarot Leaves

2012-01-27T16:54:00.000-06:00

Beth Seilonen
Tarot Leaves
2011
http://www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3903-5
USD $24.99

When you think of tarot cards, what do you usually think they look like? I immediately think of the standard 2 3/4" X 4 3/4" size, rectangular, with pictures and/or symbols on each card that fills most of the front of the card, and most come with some sort of a border around the image. In terms of size, Tarot Leaves is much like most decks. It measures 2 7/8" X 4 1/2", which is very close to the standard size. The cards are rectangular, again, like the vast majority of decks available today. The card backs have a completely reversible image of leaves done in watercolor against a black background with a light blue border. So yes, you can read reversibles with this deck.

Ace of Wands

However, what makes this deck unique and has it standing out from all the rest are two things. First of all, there is empty or "white" space on each card,meaning that the entire surface is not covered by an image or a set of symbols. The card backgrounds range in color from a very pale translucent gray watercolor to a pale translucent blue-green on some of the cards. All cards then have a very thin border of medium gray. The title is done in white script at the bottom of each card and all cards have a 1/4" (left & right sides), 1/2" (base), & 3/8" (top) exterior white border. Secondly, symbols that helps to convey the meaning of the card are depicted in watercolor within the borders of the shape of various types of leaves, hence the name of the deck, Tarot Leaves.

Page of Cups

When I first viewed the deck my very first thought was, "oooh, pretty and how different!" As an artist the use of color is very important to me so I am usually a sucker for a deck that was created using bright, vivid colors. The colors here are bright, but muted watercolors. This gives the deck a lovely etheric quality, which in my opinion, really helps to facilitate connecting with your higher consciousness when doing a reading.

There are various types of leaves depicted. I'm not a leaf person, but I easily recognized maple and oak leaves. There are also a few other leaf shapes used. The card symbols are then painted within the leaves and they move along with the naturally occurring veins within the leaves themselves. This gives each image a lovely "flow" to it and also helps to convey the type of energy associated with that card. The creator, Beth Seilonen, grew up in rural Maine and her love of the woods and of nature really comes through with her lovely deck.

Tarot Leaves is further differentiated from the vast majority of decks with regards to the elemental associations of the suits. Beth Seilonen switched Wands with Swords. In her deck Wands are associated with thoughts, ethics, and philosophy while Swords represent actions. For some this may create a problem, but her switch does not make a great deal of difference, nor does it interfere with the use of traditional interpretations for the cards. The guidebook conveys traditional interpretations so although she does switch the suits, the interpretations are not altered.

7 of Wands

The cards have a very nice light laminate on them. At first they stuck a bit when I tried to shuffle, but I always blame the humid environment of Houston on that. After a few shuffles they were just fine. They also shuffle easily as well. The guidebook is a card-size paperback with a good binding that will last with years of use. As always with Schiffer, this is a very high quality deck and it will last even the most active of readers a very long time.

The packaging - something at which Schiffer Publishing excels, is all self-contained. There is a sturdy cardboard laminated box with a hinged lid that is attached to the box via two ribbons as well as the laminated surface treatment. The cards and guidebook are both housed within the box and the lid has a magnetic closure. The packaging makes it very easy to take this deck with you on trips or on visits with your like-minded tarot friends.

Using this deck is very easy. My thirteen year old daughter can use it, which tells me that people new to tarot would also be able to use it so I highly recommend it to newcomers and I think they and others will find this deck to be a delight, especially those of you who love nature.

Deck Review: Nature's Wisdom Oracle

2012-01-06T20:07:00.000-06:00

Nature’s Wisdom Oracle
Mindy Lighthipe
http://www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN # 978-0-7643-3573-0
$24.99 USD

I’ll be honest. Animal oracle decks and I don’t mix well. All readers resonate with various types ofdecks and this is why there is such a vast variety in publication today. There is a deck (or two, or thrity-five) foreach of us interested in consulting and reading cards. In the past decks withanimals or plants just haven’t jived with me, except for Lisa Hunt’s Animal’sDivine Tarot. However, I have now founda second nature deck with which I resonate, Nature’s Wisdom Oracle.

Right out of the box, Nature’s Wisdom Oracle beganproviding me with clear and concise single-card answers to my questions. I find that for me personally I only need todraw a single card using this deck, yet the deck can naturally be used formulti-card readings as well.

The cards measure 3 ½ X 5”, printed on a firm yetflexible cardstock with a light yet durable laminate. The colors are lovely and range from prettymuted pastels to bright and bold. The energyof the colors used corresponds with the energy of the animal or plantdepicted. Borders are unique to eachcard and consist either of a muted larger version of the image on the card or amuted emphasis of one aspect of the image. For example, the card Sea Turtle (Ireally LOVE sea turtles!), has a larger version of the sea turtle in the borderwhile a card like Pineapple has as its border an enlarged version of a smalldetail of the pineapple image. Twocards, Honey Bee and Lady Bug, have a repeating motif of the insect along thecard’s border. Card backs consist of theimage of a leaf and are not reversible, but this deck doesn’t offer reversedinterpretations.

The paperback guidebook is the same size as the cards andhas 104 pages. The introductory sectionincludes information on how to use the deck, a daily meditation, and the 3-cardPast, Present, Future spread. Cardinterpretations are accompanied by a near-full page size black and white illustrationof the card.

The packaging consists of a very sturdy laminated thickcardboard box with fitted lid measuring 3 7/8 X 5 ¼”. The cards nor the box should show any signsof wear for quite some time to come.

I strongly recommend this deck not only to those of youwho are animal and nature lovers, but also to anyone who is new to readingcards or desires an oracle that gives quick, easy, and concise answers to theirquestions.

Wishing You Many Blessings,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

DECK REVIEW: Celebration of Love Oracle Cards

2011-12-09T17:30:00.001-06:00

Celebration of Love Oracle Cards
Eva M. Sakmar-Sullivan
2009
http://www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3183-1
USD $24.99

The visionary art of Eva Shakmar-Sullivan apears on greeting cards, CD covers, & in a beautiful oracle deck. Dominated by images of dolphins, angels and unicorns the cards are conveyed in beautiful shades of blue and purple accented with bright colors that seem to pop off the cards (yellow, orange, white, etc ...). The Celebration of Love Oracle Cards are quite beautiful and they have a serene and peaceful energy to them. The paintings used for this deck were painted with acrylics. The colors are vibrant, yet also calming. Other creatures, such as fairies, are also present so this is a deck that will please lovers of angels, dolphins, unicorns, and fairies.

There are 60 cards in the deck measuring 3 1/2" X 5" that are housed in a sturdy laminated cardboard box containing a guide book the same size as the cards. Serving as the card back is the image for the card, "Grounding" (see above for card back). This deck is not meant to be read in reverse, therefore the cardback is not reversible. The guidebook is a 96 page paperback. Each card is interpreted and also contains a separate "Special Message." Using this deck I found it to have a lovely energy and it has given me encouraging and supportive readings. Each card is titled across the top and there is also a sub-title across the bottom that presents the user with a general overview of the meaning of the card. All cards have a dark blue background.

For the most part, images are rendered in portrait orientation. However, unlike the vast majority of decks, some card images are presented in landscape orientation that takes up approximately two-thirds of the card's surface, but the entire card itself is still labeled in portrait orientation. An example is "Cheerfulness" here to the right where we can see a group of unicorns out for a romp on the night of the full moon. Some may think that having both portrait and landscape oriented images in the same deck would make for a strange looking layout when using conventional card spreads such as any 3-card spread or the traditional Celtic Cross, for example. However, I find that it adds an interesting dynamic to the reading and if you pay attention you can catch extra little nuances in the manner in which images spatially relate to one another.

The card stock is of excellent quality: firm, well laminated, yet cards shuffle easily. The laminate feels very thin, does not cause the cards to stick together after a few shuffles to break them in (even in the humid environment of the Texas Gulf Coast so that's really saying something!), and I believe this deck will hold up well with years of use.

I would highly recommend this deck to beginners or to someone who may be well-versed in tarot, but does not feel comfortable with oracle decks. For the beginner this is a nice deck because the card interpretations are short and you can choose whether or not to memorize them. An introductory section on how to cleanse and bless the cards to prepare them for their first use is provided in the guidebook. A meditation is also included that can be used with whichever card is of the most interest at any given time. The cards are illustrated in the guidebook in black and white at approximately 25% of their full size with a few appearing as large as 75% of their full size, which is great for beginners who wish to study the book first prior to using the cards.

Each time I use the Celebration of Love Oracle Cards I am filled with a sense of peace. It is obvoius to me that the art was created from a place of love and with a desire to spread positive energy on to others. Anyone who enjoys helpful and uplifting messages will love this deck. If you're a lover of dolphins and/or angels, I am sure you will find this deck to be quite lovely and enjoyable to use.

Blessings,

Nefer Khepri, Ph.D., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

DECK REVIEW: King Solomon Cards

2011-12-04T16:25:00.001-06:00

King Solomon Cards
ItzhakMizrahi
OrnaBen-Shoshan, art & design desigttp://kabbalahinsights.com/products/king-solomon-cards
Self-publishedversion
USD$46.00 Quantity & combination discounts are available

Althoughpublished by US Games, if you are interested in collecting decks as I am, youwill want to dish out the extra cash and treat yourself to the self-publishedversion of The King Solomon Cards (available from the link above) forseveral reasons. The cards come housed in a sturdy wooden box with a metalhinged lid and metal latch (gold color for all). There is a clear sticker onthe lid with the title of the cards and this makes it look like the title isprinted directly on the wood. The base of the box has another clear stickerthat has the publishing information. The colorful label you see in the pictureslides right off the box. I am trying to keep mine in good condition so I keepit around the box when the cards are not in use.

Withinthe box you will find one 3 X 5" 54-page guide book. The cards measure 3 X4 3/4" and there are 36 cards, plus four extra cards you can use asamulets to bring you various blessings. The base of the interior of the box islined with felt and the cards come wrapped in a bluish lavender silk cloth.This is a VERY nice packaging job and if I could package my own deck in any wayI wish, I would choose this method myself.

The cards have a nice laminate on them. It's notstiff so the cards are easy to shuffle, yet the laminate is good enough thatthe cards will stand up to years of shuffling. Each card is numbered, 1 - 36and the interpretations in the guide book contain the same numbers so it'ssimple to find each card that appears in a reading. The photo here shows youthe color of the cloth, the guide book (lower left), the deck of cards, and thefour bonus cards (lower right). The cards have a dark blue border and the cardbacks are light aqua-blue.

Theartwork by Orna Ben-Shoshan, is characterized by lovely bright colors. Renderedin the same whimsical style as her 72 Names of God deck, the cards areillustrated with figures in surrealistic dream-like settings and landscapes.

Personally,I find the deck to have a very nice "feel" to it. It has good energyand I was able to start using it for readings right out of the box. It did notrequire cleansing or charging prior to use. Readings are concise and theauthors recommend you draw only one card for each question and that you do notapproach the deck with the same question twice in a week, which is really goodadvice for any type of tarot or oracle deck.

Thecard interpretations are provided on four levels: Situation, Person, Advice,and they each also have an inverted meaning in case they appear reversed in areading. Interpretations are short and to the point. This is a good deck forbeginners as the system itself is quite simple to grasp and the deck providesinsightful readings.

Theguide book concludes with several examples of spreads, which are as follows:

· Single Card Spread

           · 3-Card Spread
        · 4-Card Spread
          · Adding a Card to Clarify

Thisis a delightful set of cards and personally, I really enjoy using them, and Ihope those among you who decide to purchase this deck also enjoy them. Notethat this same deck is also published by US Games and is available on Amazon,but it is only packaged in a typcal tarot-type cardboard box and does notcontain any of the nice extras that you get with the self-published version.The photos for this deck review are of the self-published version, only.

Blessings,

NeferKhepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.
http://www.magickal-musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

COTD: Sage of Cups

2011-11-15T09:54:00.001-06:00

COTD: Sage ofCups: Regenerator

From The Voyager Tarot by James Wanless, Ph. D.

The Sage of Cups corresponds to the Knight of Cups. There is a lot of water imagery on thiscard. Cups are ruled by the element ofWater and Water governs our emotions, healing, creativity, nurturing, andlove. The title of “Regenerator”indicates that this card represents someone with healing abilities.

For today’s draw I am focused on the man on theright-hand side of the card who is pouring water from a vase. The manner in which the collage was done (andfolks, this deck was created way back in the day before Photoshop so all thesecards were collaged by hand with scissors & glue!) this man appears to bemuch larger than the mountains and river below him. Is he a god? I don’t know, but I have always felt he represents some form of a higherpower. The water he pours appears toland higher up in the mountain range and may actually be the source of theriver. The water represents healingenergy and the man is sending this to the earth’s waters so that the healingenergy can permeate the entire earth and affect every single living thing, forevery life-form on our planet needs water in order to survive.

So, once again we’re seeing the theme of new, higherenergy coming in and resulting in renewed balance and healing. Open yourselves up to the healing energy thatis coming in today simply by saying aloud or to yourself over a glass of water,“I freely open myself to receive the healing energy that iscoming to the earth today.” Say thisthree times. Drink the water. Give thanks. It is done. Simple as that.

Go out and make it a great day!

Blessings,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Card of the Day: Fool-Child from The Voyager Tarot

2011-11-14T10:57:00.001-06:00

COTD: Fool-Child
From The Voyager Tarot by James Wanless, Ph. D.

Well, it’s the start of a whole new beginning for our planet, energetically speaking. After the energy began to flow on 11/11/11 it shall continue to come to the earth via the Galactic Gateway until 12/21/12, at which point the energy transference shall be complete, according to information given to me by Archangel Michael. So, ...it stands to reason that for today, the first week-day of the new beginning that we’d receive a card about just that – setting out on a brand new journey.

I really love The Voyager Tarot. This is one of my go-to decks and the one I always use for my Past Life Karmic Tarot Readings at my site. I love it because of all the collage elements. Something always sparks my intuition in each card and often the symbols I zoom in on have additional personal meaning for my clients, as well.

Fool-Child is all about embarking upon a new path, taking chances, not being afraid to go where no man has gone before. Explore, try new things, don’t be afraid of what others may think of you, and discover what your true path is and where it is leading you. The energies are now in place for many who do not know their purpose to discover it. As a result, large changes may occur in your lives if you come to the realization that your current path is not the correct one. Remember to be patient with yourselves. Open up to the energies that shall continue to flow to the earth over the next year and realize that the changes will occur in their own good time, at the RIGHT time.

The image that stands out to me today from this card is that of the arms in blue sleeves reaching upward at the base of the picture. For some reason this is making me think of the Beatles and when they first came to America and were shocked to be met by so many screaming fans at their plane. Most of America didn’t know them, but then they went on the Ed Sullivan Show and the rest, as they say, is history. They began a major revolution not only in music and songwriting, but also in popular culture. The hands reaching upward on this card reminds me of them and how positive their music is. This image is a reminder that if we all start reaching upward more we will absorb ever increasing amounts of the special energies around us at this time and that they will open the door to many new and wonderful opportunities.

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.
Magickal-Musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Archangel Michael on 11/11/11

2011-11-11T10:07:00.001-06:00

NOTE: This message from Michael was originally published in my Newsletter, "Magickal Musings." If you do not recieve my Newsletter and would like to, simply email me at IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com (note this is a new address for me) & I'll be happy to send you a copy & place you on my mailing list. The colored lines come from my Newsletter & Blogger is not allowing me to remove them. Sorry about that.

Archangel Michael's Message for 11/11/11

Dear Ones~

The timeis now at hand & I am here to be sure that you are adequatelyprepared. The day known to you as thedate November 11, 2011 is the day the Galactic Gateway opens to allow for amuch higher frequency of energy to reach the earth. The Galactic Gateway opens each time humankindis given an opportunity to advance upon the path of spiritual evolution.

Allow meto stress that NOTHING SPECIAL NEEDS TO BE DONE. You do NOT need to pay anyone to “help” youconnect to these energies. TheSource/Creator/God makes these energies FREELY AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO SEEK WITH ASINCERE HEART. Open yourself to beingreceptive to the energies by following the information in thispublication. Do this NOW as you arereading.

Once youhave stated your willingness to receive, the energy will come to you at theproper time on your part of the planet on 11/11/11. Have no fear. You WILL receive it.

11/11/11will be a day for healing for all the earth. I ask each of you to light a whiteor green candle & dedicate it to healing your planetary home. This is a grand opportunity for each of youto help heal all the damage that humankind had done to your world. Word the intention/prayer in your own way, yourown words, & call upon the Source of ALL to surround & permeate theearth with healing energy & LOVE. The earth will then receive the healing she so desperately requires.

Once done,feel free to light additional candles for your own personal intentions. Then look to 12/21/12 when the grandtransformation shall be complete & the earth & humanity will enter intoa higher state of being.

InUniversal Light & Consciousness,

Michael.

Card of the Day for 11/11/11: The 9 of Water!

2011-11-11T09:47:00.001-06:00

COTD: 9 of Water,
From “The Gaian Tarot,” by Joanna Powell Colbert

Well, would you look at this! You won’t believe me, I know, but I did choose this card completely at random without looking at the deck, I swear it! Here we are finally at the pivotal date in the earth’s history: 11/11/11 and what card comes to us for today? The 9 of Water, which in other tarot decks is the same as the 9 of Cup...s, otherwise known as The Wish Card!

I’m excited, aren’t you??? Today’s THE day and here we have the Wish Card to greet us for today. The 9 of Cups represents fulfillment, plenty, abundance, and yes, it can indicate over-indulgence at times (overeating or drinking too much are two examples). Look at the image on this card for a second. You see how the woman here is standing within a dark cave. She faces the cave's entrance and sees all the light streaming in. She opens her arms to receive this light. This is amazing because, according to Archangel Michael (you've seen his message for today here earlier this morning) this is exactly what you're supposed to do today. Open yourselves up to receive! The 9 of Cups usually indicates that there are super wonderful energies surrounding you now and that now is the time to focus on wish manifestation!

How to do this ~ a simple exercise for today and today ONLY as it is 11/11/11. This is something I’m doing myself in about an hour since I’m in CST zone & so 11:11 AM for me is just under 2 hours away.

Get pen & paper. Make a list of your fondest wishes. They can be big or small. The only requirement is that they be important to you. Write them down. They do not have to be in order of preference so you can list them as they occur to you.

When you’re done you can get a candle if you want or some incense, that’s up to you. You can do this either at 11:11 AM/PM your time or any time today, but no later than 11:11 PM your time.

Face east, the direction of the rising sun. In most ancient cultures the east is the direction from which blessings flow to us because that’s where the sun has always risen and the sun brings light and life to our planet.

Enter into prayer or focused thought. Direct your thought to your higher power, whomever or whatever that may be, or if you don’t have one, just address the universe, that’s fine. Anything today will work because the energies that are coming through are universal.

Read off your list and also, and this is IMPORTANT: do NOT use the word “want” for your wishes, as in, “I want a new car.” Look up “want” in the dictionary. It means, “to lack.” So, when you tell the universe/God/Whomever that you want something you are really saying, “I wish to lack this in my life.” Instead, use the words, “I wish for,” or, “I desire to…” For example, “I desire to travel to England for a wonderful 2-week trip with my husband & daughter sometime in the next 2 – 3 years.”

Be specific. The more specific you are with the wording of your wishes the more likely it is you will receive exactly what you ask for. List time frames, as in the example above. This way the universe knows that it has only up to 3 years to grant me my wish for that trip to England (one of my actual wishes, by the way).

Once you’ve read your list, re-read it, but this time preface EVERY wish with the phrase, “Universe/God thank you for granting me my wish of . For example, for me one would be, “Universe/God, than you for granting me my wish of traveling to England with my husband & daughter sometime in the next 2 – 3 years.” Do this for every wish on your list. Then you’re done.

If you’re using a candle for this, cleanse your candle of any unwanted energies it may have picked up in manufacturing, shipping, or sitting on the store shelf (unless you’ve made it yourself, then none of this is necessary) by rubbing from the middle out to both ends, including the wick. Imagine gray smoke leaving your candle. Your candle may get warm or it may tingle or even feel lighter in your hands than when you first picked it up.

Then, focusing on your name & date of birth, place your energy into the candle by rubbing from both ends toward the middle, don’t forget to include the wick. Do this 3 times, at least, or until your candle feels “right” to you. It may again get warmer or tingle or even feel heavier because you’re placing energy into it. Light the candle prior to reading your list and place your list under the candle (be SURE the candle is in a SAFE candle holder appropriate for the size and shape of the candle you’re using!), and allow the candle to burn itself out. When it goes out if there’s any wax remaining you can bury it somewhere on your property or if you rent and have plants, you can bury it in one of your plants.

Let’s all go out today and focus on making our fondest wishes come true!

Wishing you the greatest and most abundant of blessings today & always,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.
Magickal-Musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

2011-11-11T08:03:00.001-06:00

FROM ARCHANGEL MICHAEL ~

"WISHING YOU ALL A BLESSED 11-11-11:

In order to receive the energies coming through to the earth today, simply state your intention to be open & to receive in your own words. You do not have to pray to anyone specifically. If you feel more comfortable doing so, that's up to you, but makes no difference as this energy comes directly from The Source and is therefore universal. Remember to note your clocks at 11:11 AM and 11:11 PM your own local time. In every time zone on all parts of your planet that is when the largest bursts of energy shall come forth. Many of you will feel absolutely nothing while others may be quite affected today (but in a good way, I assure you). Just remember, the most important thing is to be OPEN TO RECEIVE. The energy will come to you and unfold in its own good time, in YOUR own good time, and you will be able to embark upon your life's path knowing you are part of a better and brighter tomorrow.

With All Love, Healing, & Compassion to Earth and All of Her Inhabitants,

Michael."

Channeled by Nefer Khepri, 11-11-11
http://www.magickal-musings.com/

COTD: Child of Earth

2011-11-09T12:40:00.001-06:00

The Child of Earth,
From “The Gaian Tarot,” by Joanna Powell Colbert

Children in the Gaian Tarot correspond to Pages. They view the world with wonder and representnew things coming into being or into your awareness, messages, and learning.

The Child of Earth (in other decks Earth corresponds toPentacles) is in the process of discovering the world around him so he viewseverything with the wonder of a child being exposed to new things for the firsttime. The apple holds great fascinationfor him as he breathes in its scent and feels its solidness and weight in hishands. The apple tree standing behind himrepresents a firm foundation, something that is lasting. The tree was there before the Child of Earthwas born and with any luck shall remain long after he has crossed over. The tree is permanence and stability. The rabbit is the familiar of the springgoddess, Ostara or Eostre, and his role is as conveyor of messages between thisside of the veil and the other.

The Child of Earth suggests that now is a good time toreevaluate your diet or the type of foods you eat. Perhaps a move to more natural foods iscalled for at this time. The Child ofEarth also suggests you search for that child-like wonder within you. A fresh perspective is being called forth. It’s time to see the world through new eyesso you can appreciate all of the potential that surrounds you at any givenmoment.

If you'd like a reading, you can order one from me at http://www.magickal-musings.com

Also, I am notifying everyone I'm changing my email. Please add my new address to your online contacts so mail from me doesn't end up in your spam folder: IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Many Blessings,

~ Nefer

Card of the Day for Nov. 8 ~ The Sun

2011-11-08T11:03:00.000-06:00

COTD: THE SUN
From “The Gaian Tarot,” by Joanna Powell Colbert
Self-pubished, also mass published by Llewellyn, 2011.

I take one look at this card and I think, “HAPPY!” A woman dances in a garden filled with sunflowers and other flowers of the yellow persuasion as a huge yellow sun shines behind her. Her red dress symbolizes that she's full of active energy.

The Sun is a card of the major arcana; and, as such, it embodies the universal spiritual energies of Happiness, Health, Success, and Attainment. It’s one of the most positive cards of the entire tarot deck, no matter which deck you use. I love The Sun because every time it comes up it’s telling me that no matter what may be going on, things are going to be brighter. You just have to believe.

The Sun ushers in a great deal of energy today. Today’s a great day to go out and get things done that you’ve been putting off. If there are thing around the house that have been crying out for your attention, today is a great day to set some time aside to handle those matters.

As we head ever closer to 11/11/11 I feel the cards will reflect this and we’re going to be seeing cards that have to do with new energies coming in, like The Sun, which heralds a time of success and happiness for us all. Please be sure to open yourself up to the energies that will be coming to the earth on that day. If you’re not sure how to do this, send me your email address & I’ll send you a copy of my latest newsletter.

I'm including the lyrics to one of my all-time favorite songs as it sum's up the energy of this card well & it's also set to my iPhone to wake me every morning as it immediately puts me in a postive frame of mind. You can find the video at the end of today's blog entry ~

"(Reach Up For The) Sunrise" ~ Duran Duran

"Now the time has come
The music's between us
Though the night seems young
Is at an end
Only change will bring
You out of the darkness
In this moment everything is born again"

"Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life"

"Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life"

"Now the fireball burns
We go round together
As the planet turns into the light
Something more than dreams to
Watch out for each other
Coz we know what it means to be alive"

"Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life"

Let’s all go out and make it a GREAT day today!

CARD OF THE DAY: The Seeker

2011-11-07T10:58:00.000-06:00

COTD: The Seeker
From: The Gaian Tarot, by Joanna Powell Colbert

The Seeker is known as The Fool in most tarot decks. Here The Seeker stands on the crest of a hill overlooking a lush valley. Instead of the usual little white dog there is a fox with her that seems to be guiding her footsteps. The Seeker appears to be at the start of a marvelous journey that will take her to new places and exp...ose her to new experiences.

The energy for today is very helpful in that it is motivating us to get out there, get things done, because in a bit something wonderful is going to happen and we need to get the mundane out of the way so we can fully enjoy the changes that are about to occur. Of course, I’m talking about 11/11/11 and the new energy that shall be coming to the earth on that day opening the door to the spiritual transformation that will occur on 12/21/12. The Seeker embarks upon a brand new journey not knowing where she will go & having no way to anticipate what she will experience. This applies to all of us now. All who are open to receiving the energies of 11/11/11 shall be just like The Seeker embarking upon a journey to new vistas. Who knows where it will take us, but the imagery on this card promises that it shall be a journey rich in experience. Is your bag packed?

Connecting to Prosperity Angels

2011-11-03T10:26:00.000-05:00

Let's face it. Things are tough all over. Many more of us are now working our butts offonly to just barely have ends meet. The world economy is apparently in quite abit of trouble. Countries like Greece and Iceland have gone bankrupt. It'squite scary to watch the news (then again, the news has always upset/scaredme).

I have found that the simpler a method is, the more effective and immediatethe results.

I have discovered from a variety of sources a very easy method for inviting theProsperity Angels into your life, and yes, they do exist. I can personallyvouch for them as they've helped me many times.

Prosperity Angels are mentioned by Karen Paolino on her blog (http://karenpaolino.blogspot.com/2009/04/calling-on-prosperity-angels.html)in a post from 2009, and I believe that Doreen Virtue also discusses them inone or more of her books, but can't be 100% certain on that since I read herbooks, then give them away so I have nothing to reference here on that. If yougoogle "prosperity angels" you can also find mention of them in manyplaces on the internet.

When you are in need of money, the Prosperity Angels can help. Karen Paolinohas a prayer I'll include at the end of this article. What I shall share withyou is my personal method for contacting the Prosperity Angels. What you do isto simply write them a letter.

I bought a $12 blank journal that has a picture of an angel on the front& back covers, plus a tiny angel on the lower right-hand corner of eachlined page. When I have a specific need & I'm unsure as to how I'll be ableto manage it, I write the Prosperity Angels a letter. A recent example from 2months ago goes like this:

Dear Prosperity Angels ~

I'm having computer problems. The motherboard of my HP laptop keepsoverheating & I fear that soon my entire computer will fry. I cannot run mybusiness without a computer & it's important that I have my own & nothave to share considering how many hours a day I often spend working. Pleasemanifest for me the money I need to buy a brand new HP desktop, and if you canswing it, I'd love one of their new models - the kind that no longer requires atower because everything's up in the monitor. I think that would be so cool.Oh, and I would also like a 21" monitor, if you please. I very muchappreciate your help, Prosperity Angels. Thank you in advance for the moneythat allows me to buy the new computer.

Love,

Nefer Khepri.

Now, if you need a certain amount by a certain date (rent money, forexample, or to pay the bills) please be sure to note the date in your letter sothe Prosperity Angels know that they have a limited time to work on this foryou.

This is a nice, easy method, and believe me, it WORKS. So why not write theProsperity Angels today? Perhaps as comments to this blog entry you can all posthow the Prosperity Angels have helped you.

Here is the prayer from Karen Paolino's site:

"Angels of Prosperity and Abundantia, please help me to bring peace,balance and an increased flow of abundance into all aspects of my life,especially my finances. Help me to be open so I may receive whatever I need andmore. I am open and willing to receive unexpected miracles, help and ideas ofinspiration so I may experience financial freedom. Thank you for your lovingsupport." ~ Karen Paolino, 2009.

May the Blessings of the Prosperity Angels Be Yours ~

Nefer Khepri

http://www.magickal-musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@aol.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Candle Magick Class!

2011-10-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

ANNOUNCING *** CANDLE MAGICK CLASS ***

taught by me, been practicing Wicca since 1980, professional since 1997.

I am for the first time ever making my method available over the internet to all who care to learn the proper & most successful manner to perform candle work. My method is based upon years of book reading, learning from other practitioners, plus trial & error that has resulted in a method that works well for myself & for clients around the world.

I believe in empowering others & this is why I'm offering the class. I feel that everyone, if they are so inclined, ought to have access to easily understandble information in order to help them to perform candle magick for themselves & their loved ones.

You will receive my information on how to cleanse, charge the candle & all materials used with it (herbs & oils), information on properly wording your intention so you are more likely to receive what you ask for, plus more.

I shall also be creating a group on Facebook for all those who join the class. You will be added into the closed group automatically by me where we can freely discuss candle magick. You will be able to ask myself & others questions, and have all of your concerns addressed at any time.

You will receive all this for a one-time payment of $45. The class will begin in a week, but if you can't make it, never fear. Once you send payment I'll send you the materials & add you to the group. You can then catch up & everyone will help you.

In order to participate in the group you will need to have a Facebook account. You can easily create one at Facebook.com if you do not yet have one.

Here is a secure PayPal payment link for the class, and again, this is a ONE-TIME fee to cover my time. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Z3M7A7WJXV3WW

I hope you'll join us :)

Many Blessings, & wishing you all a Most Blessed Samhain/Halloween tomorrow,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.
http://www.magickal-musings.com
IsisRaAnpu@aol.com
IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

BOOK REVIEW: Contact Your Spirit Guides, by Asandra

2011-10-27T21:27:00.003-05:00

Contact YourSpirit Guides

Asandra
SchifferPublishing
http://www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN#: 978-0-7643-3719-2
Paperback,8 ½” X 11”, 132 pp.
$29.99

In a nutshell, ContactYour Spirit Guides provides you with all the information a person would need inorder to establish and maintain contact with their spirit guides. I should know. I’ve been channeling and working with myspirit guides since 1980. Back thenbooks on metaphysical/new age subjects were not as numerous as they are today,nor as easily available. I grew up inWaukegan, Illinois and back in 1980 there were no new age bookstores nearme. Amazon and ordering over theinternet did not exist. My method forcontacting my own spirit guides was slowly and painstakingly developed over aperiod of approximately 3 years through the process of trial and error – mostlyerror. How I wish I had this book backthen! Life would have been so mucheasier.

Now, all within the pages of a single book is all youneed to help you contact your own spirit guides. Asandra is a respected professional mediumwho shares her personal approach with us. Many books exist that offer a particular approach to a goal and I nevergive them my endorsement unless I’ve tried the author’s approach and found itto work for me. This is the first suchbook I can fully endorse because the method that Asandra discusses is prettymuch the same method I use. I havereceived many emails over the years from a wide variety of people asking me ifI’ve read a certain book and asking me what I think of the author’s approach ormethod. Most of the time I have tosuggest to the person that they use their own best judgment. Just because one author’s method doesn’t workfor me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else. The method outlined by Asandra is simple, it’sdirect, and I believe it has universal appeal no matter what your preconceivednotions or walk of faith may be. Youwill find this book to be highly useful.

In addition to the book there are 24 cards that areattached at the back of the book on perforated card stock. They consist of simple, but colorfulgeometric shapes and each has a number and a title. The interpretation can be found at the backof the book. These cards are to be usedin order to receive a message from your spirit guides through these cards. So, even if you are unable to establishcontact with your spirit guides right away using the method outlined here, youcan at least begin using the cards. Ifound them to be very insightful. Infact, the first reading I did for myself really surprised me, but not untilthree days later, as I received the exact same message from a friend who had noidea I was seeking guidance regarding that topic. Her words were literally the same as theinterpretations to one of the cards in the book. I doubt I shall ever forget thatexperience. It not only validated to mewhat I’ve always known – that spirit guides often speak to us through themouths of others if we’re unable to directly tune into them; but, theexperience also validated the cards to me as being a viable tool for connectingwith spirit guides and receiving higher guidance.

The book contains a set of 24 cards. The cards measure 4 1/8” X 5 ½”. They are perforated and rectangular so besure to bend the cards along the perforations prior to carefully pulling themapart or you could tear them. What I didto mine was to give them a slight trim with a paper trimmer. I trimmed off the very edge of every card,along each side to eliminate the tiny ridges created by the perforations. Then I took a corner rounder (I’m ascrapbooker so I have these tools just laying around my house, for those whodon’t, I ***highly*** recommend the Personal Trimmer and the Corner Rounder byCreative Memories) and used it to round the corners, which really helps inshuffling. Card images are reminiscent ofmandalas, are multi-colored, presented against a white background. The images are not near the edge of the cardsso trimming is easy. You don’t run therisk of trimming off part of the image. Thecard number and title appear on each. Thecard back is a geometric pattern against a purple background.

Asandra discusses establishing sacred space from which toconduct your spirit guide session, methods of tuning in and focusing, but whatI really appreciated about her approach was that throughout her book shereiterates the importance of calling upon spiritual protection first, beforeattempting to establish contact. I havea page at my site on how to contact spirit guides (if you google “contactspirit guides” my page comes up as Number 1) that attracts a lot ofpeople. I have been contacted by quite afew who attempted to contact their spirit guides without first calling uponsome form of spiritual protection. BIGmistake! They end up attractingsomething that isn’t a spirit guide and then have a difficult time sending itback. If you take NOTHING ELSE fromthis book, do come away with this: ALWAYS invoke spiritual protection FIRST, and this is even if you are inregular contact with your spirit guides and have a session every day. I cannot stress the importance of spiritualprotection enough.

For those of you who are interested in channeling, eachchapter concludes with a channeling session with Asandra’s spirit guides. I found these sections to be quiteinteresting and for many, I believe, the channeling sessions will answer a lotof questions people have about spirituality in general.

Contact Your Spirit Guides is very well-written and is easy to read. The information within each chapter ispresented in a clear and organized manner that makes reading the book veryfast. The author does suggest you readthe entire book before attempting to contact your spirit guides and this isbecause important information is contained throughout the book. There is no fast, easy, or short-hand way tocontact your spirit guides. Just likeanything else worth having you need to work for it.

One more thing – contacting spirit guides requires twothings: repetition and patience. You simply cannot rush the process, mainlyfor two reasons. Spirit guides were oncepeople just like you and I. They oftenretain some of their personality they had while living. Therefore, some spirit guides, like mine, arechatty, while others may be shy and reserved. Depending on the personality of your spirit guides, they may start communicatingimmediately, or it may take quite a few attempts before you senseanything. Also, do not be surprised ifone or more of your spirit guides turn out to be animals. That’s really an animal totem spirit, notexactly the same thing as a spirit guide, but when you open yourself up forspiritual communication and if you have one, they often do come forward with amessage or just to let you know that they are with you. In the end, just like with any other skill,practice makes perfect. Even if you donot sense, feel, see, or hear anything during your sessions, please do not giveup. The payoff is tremendous and is wellworth the wait.

Contact Your Spirit Guides is a wonderful contributionby an expert in the field of mediumship who has been generous enough to share herexpertise with the general public. I do hope you take advantage of thiswonderful opportunity and purchase this book for yourself. You may even end up purchasing a few copiesfor like-minded friends, as well.

Blessings,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

IsisRaAnpu@aol.com

IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Book & Deck Review: The Alchemy of Tarot book and The Kingdom Within Tarot deck.

2011-10-24T12:36:00.001-05:00

The Alchemy of Tarot
Juno Lucina
2011
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
www.schifferbooks.com
ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3710-9
USD $34.99
Paperback, 174 pages, 8 1/2" X 11" X 1/2"

~ also ~

The Kingdom Within Tarot

Juno Lucina: guide book
Shannon ThornFeather: cards
2011
ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3711-6
USD: $34.99
6" X 11 3/4" X 1 1/2" hinged box, magentic closure

I chose to review thesetwo titles together because they are firstly, by the same author, and secondly,the book, The Alchemy of Tarot, isfully illustrated with all the cards from TheKingdom Within Tarot.

Printed on glossy paperthroughout and containing full color, full sized images of all cards from The Kingdom Within Tarot, The Alchemy of Tarot is a real treat forthe senses. The book not only isgorgeous, but the feel of it is very rich. It’s heavy due to the glossy paper and a book lover’s delight. TheAlchemy of Tarot is also packed with useful and helpful informationregarding Qabalah, astrology, and the connections they have to tarot.

The Alchemy of Tarot reads like a thorough introductory course on thesubjects of tarot, qabalah, and astrology. Through a discussion of archetypes, the Elements, natural cycles, andthe cosmology of the fallen savior, Juno Lucina constructs a foundation fromwhich the study of tarot can be taken to a deeper and more profound level byanyone with a sincere interest in the subject matter.

The cards of the majorarcana of The Kingdom Within Tarot containthe actual image of the planet with which each card is associated. The planetis always depicted somewhere within the card’s imagery. The symbol of each card’s astrologicalassociation is also included within the card’s imagery. The images of each have been very welldesigned and thought out in order for the image to portray the energies of theassociated planet and astrological sign. Every card has colored spheres in the upper left and lower right-handcorners that convey in color the path associated with each card on theQabalahistic Tree of Life. This deckwas obviously quite an undertaking for both author and artist.

The Alchemy of Tarot includes a thorough discussion of every card in The Kingdom Within Tarot deck. The categories of information about each cardinclude the following:

Name of card & corresponding astrological signand/or planet
Qabalistic path on the restored Tree of Life
Qabalistic letter: the meaning & the English translation
Astrological interpretation
Elemental information, including ruling planet &associated minor arcana card
Key phrases for easy reference
Key phrases for easy reference
Qabalistic symbology

The entire discussion ofthe Qabalistic Tree of Life follows the work of Charles Stansfield Jones (penname: Frater Achad), who was the star pupil and initiate of AleisterCrowley. Juno Lucina provides goodbackground information on his reworking of the Tree of life and discusses itsbasis in Egyptian mythology. All majorarcana cards are located on their individual paths of the Tree of Life and thecoding system of the colored spheres that identifies each card’s placement onthe Tree of Life is discussed. A fullcolor page image of all the major arcana cards and their placement upon theTree of Life is included for easy reference.

There is an extra card ofthe major arcana included, so the majors total 79 cards. The extra card is entitled, “The KingdomWithin All”, which represents change and infinite possibilities (see right).

Court cards (see left) are the nextsection of The Alchemy of Tarot. They consist of Pages (the Daughterarchetype), Princes (the Son archetype), Queens (the Mother archetype), andKings (the Father archetype). Threemethods of interpreting court cards are provided. At first this may seem daunting to readthrough it all, but for any of you who have had any trouble reading court cardsprior to this book, I urge you to read this section carefully. You’ll be very glad that you did. Personally, the manner in which Juno Lucinaprovides the information helped to clarity some issues for me and now I find Ino longer have any difficulty with court cards since I now use this system forall of my tarot decks and I find it works for them all. Each court card is interpreted in terms ofthe level of power or ability to manifest change that it represents, itsassociated zodiac sign and their energies, and finally as representing actualindividuals and the sixteen basic motivations that drive a person to take actionbased upon the Meyers-Briggs personality types that is in turn based upon thework of Carl Jung.

In The Alchemy of Tarot each suit of court cards conveys the mythiccycle of a fallen savior archetype. ThePentacles present the story of the Oak and Holly King with Father Time as theKing, the Virgin Mary as the Queen, The Oak King as the Prince, and the NewbornKing as the Page. The suit of Wandspresents the story of Jesus Christ as the King, the goddess Eostre as Queen,Dionysus as the Prince, and Mary Magdalene as the Page. Cups are represented by the Green Man (King),Gaia (Queen), Sir Galahad (Prince), and Faerie Puck (Page). The Sword court cards consist of the Aztecgod of death, Mictlantecutli (King), Hecate (Queen), Lord of Misrule (Prince),and Persephone (Page).

Within the pages of The Alchemy of Tarot the minor arcana isdiscussed in terms of its Qabalistic associations with the Sephiroth of theTree of Life that corresponds to their number, so all tens are associated withMalkuth the tenth Sephiroth upon the Tree of life, nines are associated withYesod the ninth Sephiroth, and so on. The stories of the characters that comprise the court cards unfolds inthe imagery of the Ace – ten and images of the characters upon the court cardsalso occur within other cards of their associated suits. Astrological associations of the minor arcanacards are also discussed.

The Alchemy of Tarot concludes with sections on the associations between each card and eachastrological house including several tables of key phrases identifying planetand sign correspondences. Spreadsinclude the Key Spread, Triangle Spread (also in the guidebook to the deck), a10-card Cross Spread (also in the guidebook), and an astrological-based 13-cardKingdom Within Spread. Health questionsand health associations of signs and planets are included. Timing and the tarot is also discussed. Using the tarot in order to find lost itemsand regarding world events are also covered. A method is included for using this tarot deck for personal spiritualdevelopment based upon the story of the sacrificial savior and The Fool’sjourney through the major arcana. Pathworking spreads include: Single Seed Spread, ‘Till We Have Faces Spread, Death & ResurrectionSpread, Hero’s Journey Spread, and of course The Alchemy of Tarot naturally concludes with a Tree of LifeSpread.

Well-written and thorough,The Alchemy of Tarot presents thereader with a real education in Qabalah, Astrology, ancient mythic cycles and,of course, tarot. The Alchemy of Tarot contains a great deal of information and onceI was finished reading the book cover to cover I felt as though I had beenthrough an intense course on tarot, astrology, and Qabalah. I also found that I had a much betterunderstanding of astrology and Qabalah than ever before so I came away fromthis book having learned some valuable new information.

Now, on to the tarot deck ~

The Kingdom Within Tarot comes with its own guidebook that is also written byJuno Lucina. The included guidebookincludes reversed card interpretations while the larger and much more expansiveThe Alchemy of Tarot does not. The guidebook is a compilation of just thebasic card interpretations. Qabalah andastrology are not discussed. Clearly,the guidebook is designed for ease of use intended for users who wish to startusing the cards quickly. Spreads includethe Triangle Spread, The cross Spread, and concludes with a brief summary ofyes/no questions and timing in tarot. The guidebook is concise, to the point, and designed to make the deckimmediately useful.

The cards measure 3 1/2" X 5" and are printed on sturdy card stock that is well laminated so they willwithstand years of shuffling. Theartwork is characterized by the use of bright, vibrant colors throughout andthe cards are borderless. The minorarcana cards are all fully illustrated and depict scenes from the lives of thecharacters depicted on the court cards. The card back is completely reversible and contains an image of the Treeof Life, Sephiorth, planets, and an anthropomorphic sun. The interpretations of the cards aretraditional.

Users of The Kingdom of Tarot deck do not needthe book, The Alchemy of Tarot, inorder for the deck to be useful to them. However, I do strongly urge users of TheKingdom Within Tarot to also purchase TheAlchemy of Tarot because it presents a more complete and thorough analysisof the cards and contains helpful information on the Tree of Life, Astrology,and how this all works together with tarot as a coherent system.

Packaging of The Kingdom Within Tarot consists of a6" X 11 3/4" X 1 1/2" box with magnetic hinged lid and recessed storage areas forthe deck and guidebook. The cardsthemselves may be a bit unwieldy at first due to the amount of lamination andtheir size, but after a few uses they do loosen up and become much easier toshuffle. The guide book measures7 3/4" X 5 1/2" and contains 176 pages and places where you can write your own notes,something I always very much appreciate in a tarot book.

Together, The Alchemy of Tarot and The Kingdom Within Tarot are anoutstanding contribution to the field of tarot and I found both the book anddeck to be enlightening and enjoyable. Both the book and deck have a permanent place in my collection.

Many Blessings,

Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

IsisRaAnpu@aol.com

IsisRaAnpu@gmail.com

Learning How to Perform Candle Magic

2011-10-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

"The two most powerful tools in a witch's arsenal are: the mind and candles" ~
Mena Aleman, curandera.

If you're interested in learning a tried and true method of how to perform candle magic for yourself, then by all means, read on.

As many of you know, I have been in business at my site, http://www.magickal-musings.com/ for over 10 years, since 1997, in fact. I began by offering tarot readings and expanded into performing candle magic for people around the world from all walks of life.

My knowledge of candle magic comes from a variety of sources. My paternal great-grandmother was a well known curandera (white witch & healer) in Michoacan, Mexico. I never knew her, unfortunately, but one of my aunts taught me what my great-grandmother had taught her. This part of my knowledge consists mainly of methods for cleansing a person or location of negative energy and then healing that person's energy so they are closed to further psychic attacks and demonic exorcism.

In 1981 I began to read books on Wicca and I gathered more knowledge, mainly from the books of Scott Cunningham and Silver Ravenwolf. I began practicing candle magic for myself and found that eventually, through trial and error (and believe me, there were LOTS of errors!) my candle magic began to get me positive results.

I went through a huge learning process that began in 1979 with my aunt and continued well into the mid-90s. During that time I met other magical practitioners who were kind enough to share valuable information and also their own personal methods of candle magic with me. From every source over the years I took what resonated or felt "right" to me, and worked towards combining it into the coherent system that I use today for myself and clients around the world.

I am often asked in email to recommend books on candle magic or I'm asked to tell someone how to do it for themselves. It's an involved topic and no one can cover it in a single email. I explain this and then I always recommend two books, that in my opinion are still to this day the best on the subject of introductory magic and Wicca in particular. I have used these books as textbooks for my 9-part Wicca 101 course that I used to teach out of my home.

These books are:

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, by Scott Cunningham

~ and ~

To Ride a Silver Broomstick, by Silver Ravenwolf.

Both are still widely available. You can even find them in used bookstores if you enjoy a good book hunt. The cover design is new so used copies will have a different cover, but the content is the same.

Candle magic is expansive in that you can add to it by using it along with various other methods and tools. For example, were you aware that you can quite successfully combine tarot cards with candle magic? The use of particular tarot cards that contain the energies of the changes you are attempting to manifest add a tremendous amount of energy to your candle work, plus they also help you focus on your desires while you're preparing your candles and performing the spell, or what I prefer to call, enchantment. The best book I have ever come across on combining tarot cards with candle magic is by Janina Renee, Tarot Spells. It is also still widely available and can be found used, as well.
For someone who wants to start learning how to perform candle magic for themselves and is also interested in Wicca, I highly recommend these three books far above any others.

There have been more people than ever before emailing me for information on how to perform candle magic for themselves. I have always striven to empower my clients to do things for themselves, even if that often results in less business for me. An empowered client is a happy client, and if my clients are happy, then I'm happy and I consider it a job well done. I'm not one of those practitioners who treats all this information like a big, dark, arcane secret known only to an handful of initiates. In fact, I abhor that type of behavior in others. The information is out there, but it's separated into many different sources. I have never found a book about magic that I consider to be absolutely complete. Whether that is intentional or not by the authors, I have no idea, but it has proven to me to be frustrating over the years and without a personal mentor other than my aunt, that's why it took me so many years to perfect my method of candle magic before I could begin to offer it to the public through my web site.

For the first time since 1998 I am making my method available to all who are interested. I plan to begin a candle magic course online. Participants will have access to me in email at AOL and also if you are on Facebook you will have access to a group I will be creating specifically for those who have enrolled in the course. There will be a one-time enrollment fee to cover my time and energy I'll be expending for this endeavor and I shall keep it very economical - under $50 per person. The group will be a place where questions & ideas can be shared & discussed, that will add a whole other dimension to your learning experience. If you are interested, please email me so I can get a list going. Also, if you do plan on joining us and you're not on Facebook already, please establish an account for yourself so when the time comes I can add you to the group I'll be creating. Set up is easy at Facebook.com, and once you are set up there don't forget to send me a friend request. I'm on Facebook as Nefer Khepri.

BOOK REVIEW: Chicago's Haunt Detective

2011-09-20T13:15:00.000-05:00

Chicago’s Haunt Detective

Raymond Johnson

2011 http://www.schifferbooks.com

ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3718-5

PB $16.99

If you like true ghost stories AND true crime, then this is the book for you as it nicely combines both in what is a very entertaining read. The author, Raymond Johnson, is a former police officer. The book opens with his accounts of his own paranormal experiences that occurred in his childhood home. All of the recounted stories in this book are told with some humor usually inserted as parenthetical remarks that make the book sound like this is a friend telling you some cool ghost stories over a beer rather than reading them out of a book. For example, in discussing his own scary experience the author notes that covering one’s head with a blanket “is, of course, the first line of defense” against an earth-bound spirit (p. 17). That’s just one example. There are plenty more, but always included with good taste.

The book opens with the classic story of “Resurrection Mary.” A personal note about her, before I continue. I’m originally from northern Illinois (Waukegan) and a number of times my friends and I hung out across the street or a bit down the street from Resurrection Cemetery hoping to catch a glimpse of this very famous phantom. We were always disappointed, but I do have a friend who claims to have seen her while in the car with his brother. Mary was standing alongside the road as they were approaching the cemetery evidently thumbing for a ride. Although my friend was willing, his brother would not slow down to pick her up.

Resurrection Mary is a special ghost story because she has become beloved by the locals and the location and her true identity have been a closely guarded secret since the 1930s when she first passed away and then began putting in post-mortem appearances. The author states that he received threatening emails because they thought he was out to debunk her existence. He notes in reference to the scary emails, “[a]nd you thought ghosts were scary …” As a former local of the area I found that to be quite interesting as I have myself seen the locals behave very protectively towards her. They are not too willing to speak of her except to say she is there and yes, she is very real. Raymond Johnson offers several hypotheses as to who the real Mary could have been along with supporting evidence that I found to be all quite interesting. His conclusion is the same as the one I drew years ago. It doesn’t matter who she once was in life, the fascinating thing is that she still appears long after her death.

The book is presented in a forensic style including eye witness accounts, the historical background of the event or ghosts involved, examinations of death and census records, and the historical background of the haunted location.

Other stories in the book include: a ghost who solves her own murder (again, presented with eye witness testimony and evidence), and the use of a Ouija board that may have lead to the main user’s untimely demise. The book concludes with a section about modern-day paranormal investigative techniques and a chapter on the use of psychics by the police.

The book is 160 pages long including an index, bibliography, and photographs. The author’s sense of humor is evident throughout the book. His expertise as a police officer who spent a career collecting and analyzing evidence is also very much apparent. Chicago’s Haunt Detective is an enjoyable read throughout and I highly recommend it to those of you who like a good ghost story and also are interested in modern-day paranormal investigative technique.

~ Nefer Khepri, Ph. D.

http://www.magickal-musings.com

IsisRaAnpu@aol.com

BOOK & DECK REVIEW: Illuminara: Intuitive Journal with Cards

2011-09-14T10:25:00.000-05:00

Illuminara: Intuitive Journal with Cards

Elaine Clayton

ISBN# 978-0-7643-3550-5

$29.95, hardcover spiral bound

http://www.schifferbooks.com

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a deck you could use for self-exploration & divination that had all of your own interpretations so that you wouldn’t have to depend on learning the interpretations from some book? If so, then the Illuminara: Intuitive Journal with Cards is made for you.

If you practice journaling or tarot journaling, Illuminara adds a new dimension to one’s journaling pursuits. Usually, when I journal I’m focused on a personal experience, dream, or tarot reading I’ve had. When I tarot journal I make note of the date, lunar phase, question, cards received, & my thoughts & interpretations of those cards. Illuminara is different in that it contains a set of 40 5 X 7” cards of a random collection of images taken from Elaine Clayton’s art she has created over the years. Unlike a tarot or oracle deck, she does not provide any meanings or interpretations of any of the images. Instead, she leaves that up to the reader, namely – you.

Elaine Clayton’s method is based upon Carl Jung’s theory of the “personal unconscious,” which consists of the symbols to which each of us has assigned personal meaning specific to each of us as individuals. For example, we’re all familiar with the universal symbol for “peace.” However, growing up a friend of mine had spent his early years on a farm. He would always laugh when he saw a peace sign because to him it did not represent peace. For him it was a chicken’s foot inside a circle. In his case he had assigned his own meaning to a symbol that has the same meaning for many of us, but not for him.

This is exactly what readers are meant to do with this deck. Examine the cards, answer journaling prompts provided by the author on blank journaling pages (also provided) and derive your own meanings for these images based upon associations they bring up to the surface from your own memories and emotions. By so doing you’re creating a system of self-exploration and divination that is unique to you.

The same image viewed by different people conjures up a different memory or association for each observer. These memories, in turn, illicit different emotional reactions from each viewer. This is the reason everyone’s meaning for each of these images will be unique to that person.

The process of journal keeping helps a person to explore their outer world that then leads to discovery and exploration of their inner world. We then begin to feel “intuitively connected and informed. We are participating consciously with stimuli, rather than simply being hammered by stimuli” (Clayton, p. 12). Furthermore, maintaining a journal helps us to create and reaffirm “our own pictoral language, the unique, dynamic, and wondrous visual inner library we bring with us wherever we go” (Clayton, p. 13).

The cards consist of random images from everyday life; such as, a dog, a girl looking up at birds in a tree, a plate of lemons, a tree stump, a sea turtle, an angel, a lifeguard, and an old couple, just to name a few. The art style is eclectic and ranges in complexity from simple line sketches rendered in pencil, such as a boy seated at a table (see image above), to more involved line drawings rendered in pen and ink to full color watercolor and acrylic paintings. The concept behind the cards is to choose one or a few each day. Upon finding their corresponding page in the book (each card is numbered for ease of reference), the reader then answers the journaling prompts for the card they have drawn. You can draw the card consciously or intuitively, the choice is yours. The prompts are the same for each image.

I chose the dog simply because it’s card number 1 and then I looked through all the images and chose the sea turtle because I love them. The image of the dog reminded me of the dog I had while growing up. She and I were together for fifteen years. I ended up crying because of the feelings I allowed to surface for the first time in over twenty years. Feelings of love, happiness, and grief overwhelmed me. In the end I was very grateful for the experience and I found it to be healing.

For the sea turtle my reaction was very different. I have always loved sea turtles from afar, never experiencing one in person until recently (except in an aquarium exhibit, of course). This image brought up feelings of joy for me as I responded to the journaling prompts by writing about my experience last June during a snorkeling excursion in Maui, Hawaii. It was one of the most fantastic and glorious experiences of my life. Based upon my journaling exercise with these two cards, if I were to use this deck in a reading and these cards appeared the dog for me would represent loyalty and friendship, but also loss and grief. If the sea turtle appeared in a reading it would represent great joy and the realization of a life-long dream. So you can see how once you’ve completed the journaling prompts for each card that these cards can be a successful tool of self-exploration and even divination.

The book itself is spiral bound within a hard cover and consists of a brief section that runs only twenty pages. More is not necessary due to the author’s system being very straight-forward and uncomplicated. The remaining 110 pages consist of a color reproduction of each card accompanied by a journaling space on the following page and thirty blank “Psychic Journal” pages conclude the book. Packaging consists of a hardback book with internal spiral binding so the book will lie flat in order to facilitate the journaling process. The cards are housed in a large pocket inside the back cover. This is a unique approach that I feel many people would find fun, exciting, and helpful.

~ Nefer Khepri, Ph. D., R. M-T.

IsisRaAnpu@aol.com

http://www.magickal-musings.com

BOOK REVIEW: Tarot Diva

2011-08-22T09:16:00.000-05:00

Tarot Diva, by Sasha Graham

Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury, Minnesota

http://www.llewellyn.com

ISBN #: 978-0-7387-2604-5

PB: $18.95

300 pages

Tarot Diva is written in first person, which causes the entire book to read as though you and Sasha are sitting down in your living room having a nice long tarot chat over several cups of coffee. First person for a tarot book presents the reader with a fresh perspective written in a personal voice and this causes the entire text to be easily readable and accessible, even to tarot newcomers.

For a newcomer to tarot, Tarot Diva has it all: brief interpretations, meditations, exercises, spells, tarot charms, cooking recipes, and more. The book provides a wealth of information all in one place that is easily readable, understandable, and is presented in a charming and friendly manner. For anyone, the book is an enjoyable read.

The word, “diva,” is Italian for “goddess.” The term is used “to describe any woman of unusually glamorous and successful talent … anyone who walks the walk, talks the talk … A diva is not to be crossed or messed with” (p. 6). The chief premise of this book is that tarot cards can help you to discover and to release your inner diva by cultivating your intuition.

Sasha Graham presents information on how to keep a tarot journal, creating tarot charms to manifest desired outcomes, the major and minor arcana experiences in life and how to tell the difference between the two, kitchen tarot focusing on how to apply the tarot archetypes to your cooking, and how to discover and refine your sense of personal style through the tarot archetypes.

Specific to tarot, Sasha Graham presents information on how to choose a deck that best fits you, creating sacred space and tarot ritual, archetypes, and the four suits and their associations. What I found enjoyable was her discussion of the court cards as though they were personality types one would actually know. For example, the Knight of Pentacles as the good looking popular boy who drives a nice car and comes from a family with money. In other words, “beefcake dreaminess” (p. 154). Her descriptions of the court cards brought them to life for me. Her discussion of the minor arcana is thorough. Ace – ten of each suit is discussed in terms of not only their basic interpretations, but each is accompanied by one or more of the following: journaling exercises, spreads, beauty tips and practices, charms and spells, methods to strengthen a card’s energies in your life, even health and diet are all topics addressed and connected to particular cards.

Regarding the process of doing a reading, basic topics are included; such as, how to shuffle (many people do wonder about this), spreads (1 & 3-card, Stairway, Celtic Cross), reading for yourself and others. What I found particularly enjoyable about this section was how the author broke down the 10-card Celtic Cross spread into several smaller readings with question prompts to ask yourself that will help a reader to learn the deeper meanings of each card position within that spread.

All in all, Tarot Diva, is not only informative, but the information is presented in a very entertaining manner. This is a book to enjoy and then to keep on your tarot bookshelf for years to come as a good reference.

Lillies of the Field: How the Universe Takes Care of Us

2011-08-19T11:47:00.000-05:00

From Luke 12:27 - 28: "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you" ~ Jesus Christ.

A little story to demonstrate in what wonderful ways the universe works. In mid-July I performed an enchantment for myself regarding the upcoming Mercury retrograde period. My business always takes a nosedive & I end up getting sick at some point every time Mercury goes Rx. I focused on being prosperous, even if it was just $50 a day, every single day of the Rx & of course, focusing on my health.

The Rx hit & the orders just never stopped coming in and I've been incredibly busy to the point I have no time for myself. However, I am NOT complaining! Far from it! I'm very grateful, especially with Ariel starting school . I always buy her school clothes so that's where most of it has gone, plus I had already enjoyed such a good summer I was able to pay off all my debt.

The other day I had a painfully swollen lymph node under my chin. I began rubbing it. I felt it "move", but I guess maybe I popped it. The gunk in it moved up along my jawline until it found an outlet. I'll spare you all the gory details. Still, I feel that was going to be an infection starting, but since I massaged my neck/chin area I got it to clear up. I never even felt sick from it, but there was a lot of pain.

Yesterday I didn't receive a single order. However, to show you how the universe still took care of me & how my enchantment still managed to manifest prosperity for me - I took Ariel to Kohl's for her school clothes. I had 3 expired $10 Kohl's Cash coupons. The nice lady took all 3 so that removed $30 off the top of my bill, plus I had a 15% off coupon. I ended up saving $78, not to mention everything we bought was also on sale. Grand total of savings was around $340. I never buy anything full price anyway so I don't pay much attention to that, still it was nice to see.

Stuart brings in the mail yesterday evening & says to me, "This is intriguing." I look and it's from HP saying "open immediately." I have an HP laptop & printer. I figured it was a recall notification. Instead, it was notification that a rebate check for $50 from 2008 had never been cashed. HP wanted to know if I still wanted it. Oh, yeah!

Later in email a new client of mine, Julie, offered to send me a book, so a day of no orders ended up being filled with prosperity anyhow, plus a present. This just goes to show me how the universe was still taking good care of me. Overall, a really great day.

Where Have I Gone???

2011-08-09T10:50:00.001-05:00

Greetings Everyone!

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything other than a review. Things have been crazy this summer & I'm very thankful for that.

This time last year I was in a full-scale panic. My business (Magickal-Musings.com) had not generated more than $150 in income during the month of July, 2010. My husband had been unemployed earlier in the spring and into early summer for 7 weeks and we were struggling to catch up with necessary bills.

Due to his job loss, my near lack of an income for July (and not much more came in during the month of June), last year my husband gave me an ultimatum. On a THURSDAY he told me if I didn't bring in $500 by MONDAY that he would consider my business defunct & have me shut it down & hit the pavement on Monday to look for a new job.

All this occurred last August. I sent out a plea to all of my contacts asking them if they had been thinking of ordering anything from my site, to please do so ASAP since I was in immediate danger of losing my business.

The response I received was immediate and it was also very touching. One client, Henri, sent me $11 saying the numerology of his donation would help me to manifest more. He didn't order anything. Another client ordered a $150 Tarot Annual Forecast. She told me to get it to her "whenever" as she knew I had a lot on my mind. Many who could not afford to order at the time sent me encouraging emails, most of whom begged me not to close my business and said I was the only one they trusted for enchantments and readings. Many of those people went on to say how much I had helped them and some people have been clients for a decade.

I received 114 supportive and loving emails, some from clients I hadn't heard from in years. Along with those emails orders began to trickle in. A $45 reading here, a $50 enchantment there. I was amazed that after sending the mass email out on Thursday evening that by Saturday I had received orders totaling nearly $400. I was only a mere $100 from my Monday goal of $500. By that Monday, not only had my clients come through for me, but they did so with flying colors. My business generated just over $700 in a mere 4 days.

It is due to my clients that Magickal-Musings.com is still here and I am still able to do the work that I love so much, which is helping others and being of service in a spiritual manner. I sent out another mass email thanking everyone for their support and informing them that my business was safe. In fact, after removing the names, I allowed my husband to read some of those supportive emails.

You see, I'm like a Catholic priest or a lawyer. I believe in client/practitioner confidentiality. I do not share ANY details of any case with my husband, daughter, or anyone else. People come to me with very sensitive issues and I have enough respect for my clients to keep all the information to myself. So my husband was really clueless as to exactly what I did or how readings or spells could be of any help to anyone.

Once he began to read those emails he got tears in his eyes. He kept saying, "I had no idea!" He then told me that I was providing a highly valuable service and that if anything ever got that bad for us again he assured me that I would be able to keep working and to maintain my business. So I never have to worry again.

Now, flash forward to now, August, 2011, just 1 year after I nearly lost my business. Summers are notoriously slow for me. People go on vacation, the kids are home wanting to be taken to the movies and the mall. Come August it's time to shop for school clothes and supplies. During the summer people just don't have the disposable income they have during other times of the year. A business like mine, you see, depends upon "disposable" income, which is that part of your income you do not have immediate need for in terms of getting bills paid, keeping a roof over your head, or food in your tummy. When people have a few extra bucks, that's when they order from a site like mine.

So, as June approached I figured oh dear, here we go again, but I'll have plenty of time to have fun with my 12 year old daughter, plus I knew for my June birthday my wonderful husband was taking me to Maui, Hawaii for a second time (we first went in 2009).

While in Maui many wonderful things occurred. I fulfilled my life-long dream of snorkeling with sea turtles, whom I dearly love. As an added bonus on that snorkeling trip I got splashed in the face by a dolphin - who did so on purpose and it thought its antics were hilarious while the splash left another lady on the boat and I screaming. Another dolphin popped its head up at us and also laughed. It was awesome. Probably one of the best memories I'll ever have. I was blessed with the addition of a new spirit guide while on Maui and I received a very strong emotional healing from Nature Herself while there.

However, also while in Maui I had to keep my iPhone handy constantly. I began receiving a lot of inquiry emails from prospective clients who had found my site somehow. Then the orders began to come in. By the time we returned home a week later I was booked solid for the coming week! I have never in my 12 years of being online have been booked solid a week in advance.

The amazing thing was that the orders - many from new people - just kept coming in. So by the end of that first very hectic week back at work the end of June I was booked solid for another week. I even had to break my cardinal rule of reserving weekends for family. I worked the entire 4th of July 3-day weekend just so I could keep up with demand!

The pace has continued and so that is where I have been. I am "here" as being online, but I've been performing enchantments, doing readings, creating a Manifestation Mandala (which is nearly completed, see the photo at left), plus in between all that taking care of our house, our child, making meals, washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming, buying the groceries, and doing all the other "mom" things that I do on a regular basis. I didn't even have time to focus on my own art work - my Magickal Musings Tarot has languished for most of the summer. I only returned to working on it in earnest this past weekend and a new card, the Ace of Birds, is now nearly complete.

I am incredibly grateful for the huge growth spurt my business has experienced during a time that has been historically very slow. I don't know what's going on. Many tell me they find my site through a google search. If you google "how to contact spirit guides" or "contact spirit guides," my page on how to contact your spirit guides comes up as Number ONE. I had no idea!! How it happened, again, I have no idea.

Also, creating a presence for myself on Facebook has been a HUGE help. I have my regular profile page, a business page, and my groups: Living in the NOW: Gratitude & Appreciation Society (the newest group), Magickal Musings (the oldest group), Magickal Musings Tarot, and Manifestation Mandalas. Through my profile page, business page and groups I have "met" online many interesting and wonderful people. The Living in the NOW group is very special and dear to my heart. It's barely a month old and we already have 76 members. The goal is to find three things about which you can express gratitude every single day. The idea being that the more we express gratitude to the Universe the more wonderful blessings we shall receive. Due to all my business-related activity on Facebook this has also brought me new clients, plus it helps to keep me in the eye of regular clients who can keep up with what's going on with me through my posts and by joining my groups and liking my business page.

This has been a totally insane summer. I've had to work every single weekend in July just to keep up with demand, but it's been a wonderful feeling. I've helped many people over the years on every continent (except Antartica) and I am so very, very thankful that I am able to continue to fulfill my Soul's Purpose in this lifetime, which is to act as a spiritual bridge for others and to also empower them to learn more about spirituality so that eventually they shall have enough information that they will be able to do such things on their own.

Despite being so incredibly busy that I often don't know whether I'm coming or going, I'm incredibly grateful for the faith and trust that total strangers place in me and I endeavor always to do my very best in filling every single order and I also make myself available in email to all my clients. All these years it's been a real pleasure to get to know many of you and I look forward to many years of service to come.

I wish you all a very blessed week. I'll post again in a few days as I have a book review almost ready.

DECK REVIEW: The 72 Names Cards

2011-07-22T16:08:00.000-05:00

The 72 Names Cards (Oracular)

Orna Ben-Shoshan

Self-published:

Kabbalah Insights, 2011

$39.00

Available directly from:

http://www.kabbalahinsights.com/products/the-72-names-cards

This oracular deck is based upon the 72 Names of God, according to the Kabbalah. A name is provided at the top of the image of each card in Hebrew. You do not have to be familiar with Kabbalah or know anything about it or the 72 Names of God in order to use this deck. This deck is easily used by anyone and comes with a very helpful guidebook.

The cards measure 2 5/8 X 4 ¼” so they are easy to shuffle even by us readers with small hands. They have a sturdy laminate that will withstand years of shuffling and use. Colors are soft pastels for the most part, with bright colors interspersed throughout. The images were all channeled as complete images and then transferred to canvas by the artist, Orna Ben-Shoshan. Imagery is whimsical and fantastical with flying people, couches on springs that seem to be bounding upward, trumpets extending through holes in the sky, and figures with only red outlines for heads. Card backs are dark orange with the logo for the 72 Names in the center. This deck does not use reversals. All images are meant to be read upright.

The guidebook is only slightly larger than that cards. It has a simple fold-over stapled binding and is 71 pages long. The cards are listed by their number, which appears in the lower left-hand corner of each card. Both the cards and the guidebook are housed within a recessed well inside a laminated cardboard box. The box closure consists of a hinged lid with a flap that fits into a slit along the front side of the box.

Although I’m not Jewish, nor do I know anything about Kabbalah, I was able to use these cards immediately right out of the box. This proved to me that anyone would be able to use this deck. The author suggests that these cards be approached with respect and that you should not ask the same question repeatedly in hopes of obtaining a more positive answer. This is good advice for any deck a person consults.

The letter combinations present on each card in the Hebrew alphabet help to connect us to the divine energies that emanate from that particular Name of God. The author states, “[u]tilizing these sacred letter combinations in everyday life opens the door to spiritual transformation and gives us the tools need to participate in the fulfillment of the cosmic plan.”

The 72 Names is a very simple system of divination. It does not require memorization of all 72 cards (unless you would really like to, of course), and there aren’t any long, complicated spreads. Only one card is drawn for each question. Should the meaning of the card as it pertains to your question or issue still remain unclear to you, then you may draw a second card for clarification. That’s all it takes to do a reading with The 72 Names.

Each card’s interpretation consists of three parts:

Perspective: the current situation and the factors that contributed to its development,

Direction: spiritual guidance and advice, and

Bottom Line: the best course of action or what’s really going on with the situation in question.

This is a beautiful deck. The images on most cards do not easily lend themselves to intuitive interpretation, but then again, that’s why most decks come with a guidebook. The card interpretations provided in the guidebook are straightforward and offer insightful advice and suggestions as to how one can change one’s behavior in order to improve the situation. I found that to be quite refreshing as opposed to the predictive nature of many oracular decks on the market today.

I would recommend this deck to anyone who has a sincere interest in getting to the root of the issues in their life and who also enjoy a bit of whimsy in their readings. The images are surreal and very dreamlike with flying figures, checkered floors in the sky, and so on. The artwork makes this deck highly appealing and I shall continue to enjoy using it.

DECK REVIEW: Sol Invictus: The God Tarot

2011-07-15T17:29:00.000-05:00

The Sol Invictus:

God Tarot

Kim Huggens & Nic Phillips

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2007

www.schifferbooks.com

ISBN #: 978-0-7643-2761-2

$59.95

Dimensions of Cards: 4 7/8” X 3 7/8”

Dimensions of Box: 11 ½” X 6” x 1 ½”

Every once in a while I run across a deck that truly knocks my socks off. It’s usually due to one or more of the following reasons: the artwork is beautiful and the images really lend themselves to the meaning of the cards, the cards really speak to me in readings, the spreads created for the deck and the guide book are outstandingly well written and organized, or the packaging is very nice and perhaps even a bit unique. It has been a very long time that a deck has impressed me in every single category noted above, but the Sol Invictus has accomplished just that.

Created by Kim Huggens and Nic Phillips, The Sol Invictus: God Tarot focuses on the male aspect of Deity, and they also include males from throughout myth and history whose lives exemplified or personified male deity archetypes (for example, St. Francis of Assisi personifying altruism).

When I first see a deck that has a narrow theme my first reaction is uh-oh, this deck probably won’t apply to me. However, I had seen some of Nic Phillips’ card images online and his artwork intrigued me. What can I say? I’m a total sucker for bright colors.

I began using the deck right out of the box after I performed a quick cleansing on it. I was shocked not only at how insightful and incredibly thorough the card interpretations are in the guide book provided, but I was highly impressed with how the images themselves tend to play with one another in a spread. If you take the time to just focus on the images and how they are relating to one another you can discern a great deal of what your reading means before you even crack the guide book open.

The cards are printed in bright, vibrant colors on a very heavy duty thick cardstock. Colored pencils and blendable watercolor pencils appear to be the main artistic mediums used. For those of us with smaller hands this deck can be a bit difficult to shuffle as the cards have barely any “give” to them at all. They are coated with a very fine laminate that will withstand years of use. The card images are rectangular with a white border. The title appears at the bottom of each card within the white border. For those of us who are very much into trimming cards, this deck may be a bit of a chore for that job simply due to the thickness of the cardstock, but the images would lend themselves well to trimming as each is contained within a definite rectangular field. Card backs are white with a red sun and are completely reversible for those of us into reading reversed meanings.

Right out of the box the deck had a good “feel” to it and I enjoyed examining each image before I ever shuffled the deck. Suits are Swords, Wands, Cups & Coins. Majors deviate from the traditional titles with the following cards:

The High Priestess is Inner Wisdom
The Empress is The Creative
The Chariot is The Quest
The Hanged Man is The Mystic
Temperance is Alchemy
The Devil is The Underworld
Judgement is The New Aeon
The World is The Universe

For the court cards gender references have been removed. The Page is Awakening, The Knight is the Quester, the Queen is the Nurturer, and the King is the Master.

Due to the authors’ academic research they were both carrying out while creating the deck, the guidebook is thoroughly researched, well written, and the bibliography itself stands out as one of the finest that I have ever seen. The bibliography goes on for 7 pages and contains sources by such noted luminaries in their respective fields as Joseph Campbell, E. A. Wallis Budge, Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, Janet & Stewart Farrar, Carl Jung, John Matthews, Rachel Pollack, Alan Richardson, and A. E. Waite.

I hold a doctorate in Latin American Studies and my specialty is the Classic Maya civilization so I was thrilled that the authors cited works by scholars with whom I am very familiar, including John Bierhorst, Diego Duran, N. G. L. Hammonds, E. O. James, Miguel Leon-Portilla, Mary Miller, Roy Rappaport, and Karl Taube, Others with whom many are familiar are also included: Homer, Ovid, Sir Thomas Mallory, Kant, Keats, Plato, Plutarch, Sophocles, and even J. M. Barrie (the author of Peter Pan). In short, the bibliography is the type one would find as part of a scholar’s dissertation. It is quite impressive and is an excellent starting point for anyone who wishes to delve further into the topic of male deities and archetypes.

From a scholarly standpoint alone the guide book stands on its own as an excellent resource for anyone who wishes to research the God Archetype as every card is a portrayal of either a male aspect of Deity or someone who exemplified traits of Deity, such as the mortal Greek philosopher Socrates as the Nurturer of Swords and Alexander the Great as the 2 of Wands. The guide book alone stands as an outstanding contribution to the study of myth and the cultural variation and commonality all humans have seen in or ascribed to the God Archetype throughout history.

The amount of information available for each card is extensive. The card descriptions begin with a discussion of the card’s imagery followed by a thorough discussion of the god depicted and his major myth. Each god is also placed into historical and cultural context. I highly recommend you take the time to read the guidebook because you will learn a great deal about male gods, heroes, and saints that will put each card into its proper context. Such a large amount of information can be overwhelming, so the authors were nice and also concluded the discussion of each card with keywords that serve as a brief interpretation. The guide book concludes with ten spreads.

The packaging is very nice with a sturdy laminated cardboard box with a hinged magnetized lid containing two recessed wells, one for the cards and one for the book. The lid is further attached to the box with white silken ribbon. It makes for a very fine and attractive presentation.

I’m enjoying using this deck and I plan to provide you with a sample reading soon so you can see more of the card images.

BOOK REVIEW: Four Word Self Help

2011-07-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Four Word Self Help: Simple Wisdom for

Complex Lives

Patti Digh

Skirt! Morris Publishing Group, LLC.

An imprint of Globe Pequot Press

Guilford, CT.

ISBN #: 978-1-59921-980-6

$14.95

A small hardcover book that packs a punch. Patti Digh is known for her award-winning blog, 37days.com and for her previous and much beloved book, Life is a Verb, a finalist for a Books for a Better Life award. Her work centers around releasing what we hold back (worries, fears, anxieties) and focusing upon and accentuating the positive in our lives.

Her latest offering narrows her focus down just a bit, in fact, quite a bit now that I think about it. Her focus is now narrowed down to just four words. Patti Digh believes that most things can be taken down to their very basic components that would consist of no more than four words. She gives the example of having written a diet book, something she tweeted on Twitter a while ago in response to someone who tweeted they had just written a diet book. Patti Digh tweeted back something to the effect of, “so have I: eat less, move more.” End of tweet and the end of Patti Digh’s book on dieting. She said that for most of us, that’s what a diet really boils down to so why not take dieting down to its more bare and basic components and leave it at that? I thought as I read this book, “yeah, why not?”

This approach sure does simplify things, and that’s the entire theme of Four Word Self Help. Make things as simple as possible and then they may just stick with people.

The book is illustrated throughout with the artwork of visitors to Patti Digh’s blog. Each image is accompanied by a four-word phrase that sums up an attitude or approach to life that is intended to help the reader to simplify things in his or her life and to come up with a more positive approach and attitude towards the complexities of life. Section titles are: Community, Love, Stress, Travel, Soul, Wellness, Success, Green Activism, Children, Generosity, and Endings. Each section has an introduction by the author and the remainder of the chapter consist of the artwork of blog visitors accompanied by a four-word phrase that sums up an approach, attitude, or belief regarding that area of life.

I really enjoyed reading this little book, which only took me a couple of hours. The use of only four words on most pages will cause a book to go by pretty fast. The illustrations by her blog visitors are delightful and whimsical. This book may not be for everyone, but if you ever find you’re in need of a jump-start regarding your positive attitude toward life, then this book would definitely make a very nice and lovely go-to reference and it’s small enough at 4 7/8” x 6 ½” x ¾” to be carried in a purse. Who could ask for more?

Living in the NOW

2011-07-04T15:05:00.000-05:00

For the past few days I have been focusing on the NOW. I make it a point to now look around me & inwardly (or outwardly, as the case may be) express appreciation & gratitude for something. I’m working on doing this on a regular basis.

My guides have always told me to “think in the NOW.” Focus on the present moment, enjoy what’s going on around me, and forget about the past. I have suffered from bad knees since the age of 9 when I fell on the ice and injured my left knee. My guides have told me all pain is based in emotion and that pain in the knees (they included hips, ankles & feet, as well) was caused by dwelling on past hurts or fearing movement forward in life. They have told me that by focusing on the NOW that I can leave my knee pain in the past where it belongs.

Well, a lot of you know how this is. Your guides tell you something, but your ego-mind gets in the way and right away you start thinking, “yeah, right! I’ve been to 9 specialists over the years, none of them could help me so why in the world would something that sounds so simple work?”

That’s how I felt so I basically ignored the message they’ve been sending me for years now. Then the other day in an email from a Facebook friend, she told me the same thing.

My brain is very print/image oriented. I’m an artist and a writer so for me images and words carry tremendous importance and can have a huge impact on me. Celeste told me that all pain has an emotional basis and if I could identify the emotion or past trauma and release it, that would help my knees.

I sat there and just stared at her email thinking, “wow, that’s just what my guides have been telling me all these years!” Seeing what they have been telling me in print and sent from another person really drove the point home with me.

Photo Credit: Ruth Ibbotson, 2011

So, now everyday when I get up I start the date with a thought about NOW and what I am grateful for. Today it was being grateful for our nice, comfy king-size bed. Yesterday I started the day being grateful for indoor plumbing – something I had until now always taken for granted. I figured why not express gratitude for something you use several times a day and have done so your entire life since being out of diapers, right?

Throughout the day I now make an effort to look around and express gratitude for something. When you do this it helps to anchor you in the NOW. If you’re busy looking around yourself expressing gratitude for various people, situations, events, and things you are not dwelling on the past in that moment. Make it a habit and that leaves less time to dwell.

Right now I cast my gaze to the left here and am thinking, “I’m grateful to Gloria Jean for having created such a gorgeous tarot deck, The Infinite Visions.”

It’s that easy, and the more you do it the easier and more frequent it gets. Also, when we express gratitude for the nice things we have in our lives we attract more good things to us. So it’s really a win-win situation.

I think this method is working because since starting this my knees feel really good. The other day did I get a twinge of pain & it was in the left knee, which hasn't bothered me in years. I had just gotten back from the grocery store & I thought, "man, I hate grocery shopping!" Then *** TWINGE! *** So then I changed the thought to, "I appreciate having a grocery store so close to my house so that I don't have to hunt or gather our food!" Then the twinge stopped!

Is that awesome, or what???

Focus on the NOW. Be grateful for what you have, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, and in time you will make this a regular habit and things from your past will move further and further away from you in time and also in thought. This is what I’ll be doing and I’ll keep you all updated on how I’m doing.

I’ve begun a NOW journal. In it I endeavor to list at least 3 things a day for which I am grateful. Today, being the 4 of July my list reads:

I’m grateful for being born in America & I’m grateful to all of our courageous servicemen/woman who have fought (and are still fighting) bravely for our country. (OK, that's 2 things for which I'm grateful)
I’m grateful for my daughter’s laughter, which always makes my heart sing.
I’m grateful for my Subaru Forester, which I really love because it’s so comfy and dependable.

I'm grateful for my cat, Dickens who loves Lisa Hunt's Celtic Dragon Tarot as much as I do!

It’s not hard to come up with a daily list of three things for which you’re grateful. I ask that you all join me in this and as I keep you all updated I hope you’ll share your comments about your own experiences below in the comments section.

Until next time I wish you & yours many blessings while living in the NOW,

Nefer Khepri

HEADS UP! Mini-Reading Contest

2011-06-29T13:21:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I received my copy of Ciro Marchetti's self-published Oracle of Visions. It is gorgeous & I'm dying to use it on someone other than myself. Therefore, I have decided to hold a free drawing. One lucky person will win a 3-card mini-reading using the Oracle of Visions deck.

To enter, simply click here on this link. It will take you to my business page on Facebook. If you're not already on Facebook, in order to enter you will need to create an account for yourself on Facebook, which is fast & easy. Then you can click on the link to "like" my page, then comment under the post about the contest in order to enter the contest.

The contest ends Sunday, July 3rd at 6 PM CST. That evening I will choose a winner. You will receive a number based upon the order in which I have received your comment. The range of numbers (say 45 people end up entering, for example) will be entered into a random number generator at random.org & the person who's number is generated by that site will win the reading.

Good luck to all!

BOOK REVIEW: TarotSeek (TM)

2011-06-12T14:54:00.003-05:00

TarotSeek™

Read Tarot Cards For Yourself

Volume 1

(Introducing the TarotSeek system)

By Abella Arthur and Ryan Arthur

Higher Mind Publications
$7.99

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/65938

FORMAT: E-Book for the Kindle at Amazon & at smashwords (see above link) for download to your Kindle or computer.

First of all, I just received a Kindle last month from my husband for our anniversary. I’ve been anxious to find good tarot books to download onto it that I haven’t read already. The choices have been few and far between, sad to say. Fortunately, Arthur & Arthur just published their E-book, TarotSeek, a week or so ago and when I read how the authors promised a much easier way to read tarot cards I ordered it for my Kindle.

What many people will say is, “man, that’s a such a short book and they want $7.99 for it? What gives?” Well, I’ll tell you. Yes, it is short at around 50 pages, however, the wealth of information TarotSeek contains is WELL worth the price. I have no regrets about my purchase & am now recommending it to all my tarot reading followers here and to my friends on Facebook.

Just what is the TarotSeek method, you may ask? Well, ask away, but you won’t be getting the answer here. Suffice it to say, that it’s simple and even my 12 year old daughter can now use it, and with great effectiveness. In fact, here is the best endorsement this book could receive, from Ariel, who said upon learning the system from me,

“OMG, Mom! This is so simple and I don’t have to look in the book anymore, I just look at the pictures on the cards. This is great!”

Yes, you read right. My child who has been reading tarot for herself less than a year no longer has to refer to the book that came with her tarot decks (she now owns 2 and wants more – like mother, like daughter). In fact, Ariel is in her room now happily reading her tarot cards and she reports every once in a while, “this is cool! And I haven’t even gotten the book out!”

Like many who have attempted to learn tarot, Ariel was overwhelmed with having to memorize the meanings of 78 cards. If you decide to read reversals, than the number of meanings you need to know automatically doubles. This presents a daunting task to anyone. However, if you employ the TarotSeek method there is no reason to memorize the meaning of the cards. The only requirement is that all the cards, including the minor arcana, or pips, as they are otherwise known, be fully illustrated with scenes containing action and people or other types of figures (cats, and so on) on each card. As long as your deck is fully illustrated with a scene on every card, then you can use it with the TarotSeek method.

In addition to the TarotSeek method this E-book also contains what I, as a professional reader, consider to be highly valuable information on how to properly formulate questions for a tarot reading. So many times clients order from me with questions of, “When will Jim ask me to marry him,” or, “When will I meet my true love.” The problem with the first is you’re assuming Jim will ask. He may have other ideas. The problem with the second question is that it’s too open-ended. This person may have met their true love already and the opportunity may have passed them by. Imagine having to tell a client something like that in a reading. That would be difficult.

TarotSeek provides a lengthy section on how to formulate questions for a variety of topics and then includes examples of questions under each topic heading. I wish EVERY tarot book would do this as a matter of course. I have to often email clients once they’ve ordered to help them to revise their questions in such a way so the tarot can address them properly and accurately. Professional readers should read TarotSeek so they can see just how easy it is to formulate really good and specific questions that will help the tarot to get to the heart of the matter under question instead of providing vague or difficult to follow answers.

I’ve been reading professionally since 1996 and have been reading tarot for myself since 1979. I even learned a couple of new things from TarotSeek that has made tarot readings easier and faster for me to do. I used the method on several readings so far and each client has emailed me back on how insightful it was and to the point.

What is important is quality, not quantity, but many people don’t realize that. The quality of the information you will receive upon ordering TarotSeek will impress you. It’s a method you will use time and time again, and you will NEVER need to refer to another tarot book again, unless you really, really want to, that is.

BOOK REVIEW: The Enchanted Birthday Book

2011-06-03T20:33:00.000-05:00

The Enchanted Birthday Book,

Amy Zerner & Monte Farber

Paperback: 376 pages

Publisher: Sterling Ethos, New York

http://www.sterlingpublishing.com

ISBN: 978-1402781216

Product Dimensions: 7 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches

$19.95

Beginning with a very brief introduction by Monte Farber, The Enchanted Birthday Book is a collection of 365 descriptions of the characteristics of every single day of the year, including Leap Year, February 29^th.

Each day makes for a fascinating read as the authors describe various aspects of a person’s personality who was born on each particular day of the year. The first category discussed for each birthday is “Personality.” This covers character traits, gifts, and even setbacks, that a person born on that day would possess. The next section is entitled, “Life Path.” The Life Path summarizes lessons that a person on that day will need to learn to work through in order to best make use of their natural talents and gifts in order to get through life and be as successful as possible. The next section, “Destiny,” offers advice on how best to approach life’s major issues and also can provide further information as to what gifts a person can draw upon.

Deeper subject matter is covered in the gray colored margin of each page that begins with a brief inspirational quote. This is followed by a section entitled, “Karmic Lesson.” The Karmic Lesson section consists of possible scenarios a person can encounter during their life and they conclude with a suggestion as to the best career path for many days, but not all. Traits discussed in this section do tend to be geared towards traits that would be useful in the work environment so the Karmic Lesson section offers a person clues as to various things for which they may have a natural aptitude whether a specific career suggestion is made, or not.

The final category is entitled, “Secret.” Often, the “Secret” section discusses one or two traits that we may not wish for everyone to know we possess. For example, the “Secret” for June 19^th, my birthday, reads as follows: “Slow to rise to wrath on detecting a wrong, but slow to forgive, you have a passion for fair play. You can be very emotional in your home life.” Not many people want to hear that it’s difficult for them to forgive others. For many days of the year a suggestion as to a possible career may also appear in this section.

Of course, the very first thing you do with a book like this is look up your own birthday. I shall use my own again, June 19^th, as the example.

Regarding personality, it is very much on the mark. The authors state that a person born on June 19^th is intellectually honest & has “tolerance for all things.” I’ve always had high ethical standards & coming from a long background of academia with a doctorate, yes, I highly value intellectual honesty. It goes on to say that my insight into others “is as revealing as a flash of lightning in the dark.” Well, as a tarot reader I like to think that is true, and over the years many clients who have ordered readings from my web site have taken the time to email me afterward to tell me how accurate I was in describing their situation or their personality and the personalities of others involved. The authors go on to say that I enjoy the finer things in life – like a good movie, good music, and that I do not take much pleasure in gambling or other such activities. That’s very true. When my husband & I went to Las Vegas a few years ago I had much more fun eating at fancy restaurants and attending the shows than I did playing the slots or craps. I was always worrying about how much money I’d lose when I could be using that same money to buy a ticket to another show. The only point with which I strongly disagree is where the authors say that I “take all the negative aspects of life in your stride, & you never let them get you down.” Quite an admirable trait, but sadly, not one that I possess.

The “Destiny” section made me laugh as it suggested that I be thrifty with my spending & keep a good record of receipts. I guess this means I’m lacking in that department. Well, I can honestly tell you that yes, I am a spendthrift. I have the attitude that if you can’t take it with you then you might as well spend it now. So, point well taken and this is something my parents told me repeatedly. So I married a banker & I don’t have to worry about such matters.

I found the discussion of my birthday quite interesting; and for the most part, quite applicable to how I really am. I also looked up June 18^th because my mother went into labor on June 17^th, but didn’t have me until the 19^th. There were problems and we were all very fortunate that I was born at all and that I was born healthy. The description for June 18^th also fits me very well and I’ve always considered that day to be my “real” birthday, despite making my grand entrance on the 19^th.

I looked up the birthdays of everyone closest to me: my husband, daughter, parents, in-laws, cousins, and closest friends. I was surprised at how very accurate this book can be. The only person it did not get right was my dad. In fact, the discussion for his birthday, August 3^rd, is almost the opposite of how he really was. I found that to be quite interesting and wonder why out of all the people I looked up his was the most different from what was discussed in the book. So, not every person you know may be described perfectly in this book, but I’m willing to bet that most will be very close to either how the people you know really are or how you perceive them to be.

The book is an enjoyable read. I would also suggest looking up the “birthdays” of important events; such, as your wedding anniversary, the day you moved into your first house, a graduation day, and so on. Different chapters in our lives are given birth on specific days, usually as the result of a major event like a wedding or graduation. You will see if you look up those types of dates that the Personality, Karmic Lessons, and so forth, can really apply to an event or a situation that began on a specific day. I found that to be the most fascinating aspect of the book.

DECK REVIEW: AboraMana: Channeled Goddess Wisdom Cards

2011-05-26T11:36:00.001-05:00

AboraMana: Channeled Goddess Wisdom Cards

Neithard Horn

2011

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

www.schifferbooks.com

ISBN #: 978-0-7643-3696-6

USD: $34.99

Product Specifics:

· Cards: 4 ½” X 3”, heavy card stock, nicely laminated

· Guidebook: 8 X 5 ½”, 176 pages, glossy paper, B&W full size images of each card

· Box: 11 ¾ X 6 X 1 ¾”, sturdy & laminated with a hinge-style lid with magnetic closure

The AboraMana is not your typical goddess oracle deck. Firstly, the author is male and his goal for this deck was to create an oracular system that would help the women of today find their place in the world and to help them assert their inner power. Secondly, the deck was not created in some nice artist’s studio, not even a loft or a space in a room set aside for the creation of art. Neithard Horn created the deck via channeling from the Goddess in a cave on the Carnary Islands and also on a beach on the Hawaiian island of Kua’i. Lastly, the manner in which this deck operates is very different from most others. As one who has consulted various tarot and oracular decks over the past 33 years I grew accustomed to approaching a deck with a question, problem, or a situation about which I needed more information. When using a deck I am looking for answers. The AboraMana does not provide the reader with the answers itself. Instead, the interpretations of the cards are written in such a way (remember, also that this is all channeled material throughout) as to ask questions of the reader. If you take the time to examine the questions and formulate your own answers, therein lies your answer or solution. In that way, this deck is an excellent tool for guided self-examination.

There is only one lay out discussed in the book and the author does not say whether the deck is useful with typical tarot lay outs or not. As an experiment, I used the deck with a number of typical tarot lay outs, including the 3-card past-present-future, the 3-card body-mind-spirit, and the Celtic Cross. At first, the cards did not seem to wish to cooperate. However, after a few prayers to the Goddess explaining I just wanted to see if the deck could be used another way and asking for Her permission, suddenly, the deck worked just fine in these traditional lay outs. I do suggest that if you purchase this deck and wish to use traditional tarot lay outs with it that you first ask the Goddess for permission. I tried for over an hour to use these cards traditionally, without any success until I began to pray to Her. Some may consider this to be hokey, but that was my experience with this deck, for what it’s worth.

The deck has 89 cards, but it is not organized like a tarot deck. There are groupings of cards that can be construed as suits: the Houses of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, & House of AboraMana. The author suggests laying out the entire deck in the order he specifies in the guidebook. You will need a large table or counter for this exercise. If you do this, and I highly recommend that you do, you will be able to see connections among the cards within each House, and also further connections between the cards within each subset of each House. This exercise will aid in your understanding of the cards and how they work together as a cohesive system.

The Houses are further sub-divided into various sets, which also are organized into cohesive groupings. They are as follows: The Jokers (Fates), Your Fighting Spirit, The Hall of God, The Matrix That is the Human Soul, The Science of Physics, The Pillars of the Universe and Time, Magic Physics, The Four Elemental Houses, The Science of Biology, Life-Death, AboraMana, Magic Biology, Devi and Deva, Humankind, FirstWoman and FirstMan, The Temple, Religion and Ceremony, You, and Who are You? Define Yourself. As you can surmise from the titles of the various sets there is an inherent hierarchy within the deck as it moves from universal divine forces through the manifestation of the Universe and of Time, and on into Physics, the Elements, physical life (Biology), onwards to humankind, religion, and finally the big question of who we are. I found that once I laid out all the cards on my dining room table that the entire exercise, although a bit tedious at first, was quite enlightening and it helped me to work better with the cards, so I highly recommend following the author’s guidelines on page 16 of the guidebook in laying out all the cards in the deck before you begin to use the deck for readings. You’ll be glad you took the time to do this.

As mentioned, the guidebook only contains one layout, which is similar to the Tree of Life lay out found in many tarot books, but the lay out works a bit differently than the Tree of Life. The card interpretations provided in the guidebook have no reverse meanings, with the sole exception of a single card, Number 17, that appears twice in the deck with the second version of the card being a reversed image of the first entitled, “The Mirror.” Interpretations pose various questions to the reader or suggest areas of the reader’s life that ought to be further examined. This is basically a non-predictive oracle.

As a mother I cannot recommend that minor children use this deck simply because there is a great deal of nudity in it with graphic depictions of male genitalia. Now, the nudity does lend itself to the interpretation of the card so it’s not nudity for nudity’s sake as a number of card interpretations do focus on sexuality. However, my daughter is just 12 and although she is reading her own tarot cards, personally, I would not want her to ever view this deck. Then, that’s just me and everyone has different views on the matter.

The artwork itself is visionary in nature. Created in a cave on a tropical island and later also on a beach, the images, as well as the interpretations, are all channeled. The images have a dreamlike quality to them. Cards with bright colors are balanced by others with earthier tones.

The cards shuffle well and although they are highly laminated (they will last through countless shuffling), in the humid environment of Houston where I live the cards do not stick to one another.

Regarding packaging, Schiffer sets a higher standard and I sincerely wish other publishers of tarot and oracle decks would follow their example. The cards and guidebook come packaged in a very sturdy and strong cardboard box that is also heavily laminated. The lid is hinged with a magnetic closure and it closes perfectly every time. Within the box the cards and guidebook lie side by side. Both the box and cards will last through years of regular use.