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Learning Lenormand Interviews – Diana Clark, Creator of the Gaelic Lenormand
This interview was done a few months ago, before the COVID-19 virus crisis hit all of us, so it’s a tad dated (I know that was just a short while ago, but doesn’t it seem like years already?). But I hope all of you will enjoy it. I have to say that I am looking forward to her horse-themed Lenormand! I have always loved horses, as anyone who knows me will attest! Polly MacDavid (PM): In the beginning of the Companion Guide of the Gaelic Lenormand, you talk about your family history & how this informs your divinatory style. Since not all of our readers have read the…
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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light Second Edition
Last month I shared some documents with you to consider adding to your BOS. This month I want to share some brainstorming prompts to use as you fill more of your BOS pages. On first glance this month’s article may appear less robust than most but I assure you that if you work with each of the questions in a thoughtful and authentic way, you will have more than enough to keep you occupied. So, let’s get started. Some of these will become checklists for crafting your own rituals. Others are in the moment wanderings and others are for the intention of having a strong foundation to grow upon. Be…
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Gael Song Second Edition
The Hidden Gem of Solitude With most folks staying at home during this pandemic, I thought an article about solitude might be helpful. I’ve lived a contemplative life for twenty years now, mostly by myself, writing, meditating, in complete silence 90% of every day. Besides three mornings of volunteer work a week, my life is very, very quiet. When my last daughter went off to college twenty years ago, I chafed against the isolation but within a very few months, I began to cherish it and still do. What I discovered fairly quickly is that silence opens the doorway to the Otherworld. In general, beings on the other side…
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Tarot Talk 2
Comparing The 5 & 7 of Swords (image: The Rider-Waite tarot deck) Many Tarot cards have such strong and unique meanings that we can easily tell them apart. However, there are cards that are similar enough to each other that interpreting them when they both show up in a spread can be challenging. One method for coming to know cards in-depth is to break them down to their components; we have been using this method to study each of the 78 cards of a traditional Tarot deck. Now that we have completed our study of the individual cards, it’s time to use another method: comparison. This month, we…
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Book Review – Let Your Spirit Guides Speak: A Simple Guide for a Life of Purpose, Abundance, and Joy by Debra Landwehr Engle
Book Review Let Your Spirit Guides Speak A Simple Guide for a Life of Purpose, Abundance, and Joy by Debra Landwehr Engle 218 Pages “‘Let Your Spirit Guides Speak’ is a book about what it means to live a life that’s divinely guided by direct experience with Spirit,” written by author Debra Landwehr Engle. In it, she shares what she’s “learned about developing a collaborative relationship with guidance and the practical steps you can take to deepen your connection to a conscious, co-creative conversation.” Some people call these helpers spirit guides, others refer to them as angels, God, and light beings, in addition to entities with other names.…
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Book Review – Grimoire of Aleister Crowley: Group Magick Rituals by Rodney Orpheus
Book Review Grimoire of Aleister Crowley Group Magick Rituals by Rodney Orpheus 320 Pages I have read four books on Aleister Crowley. To me, he has been this mythical person that I had heard of since I was a kid. I’ve wondered if the people writing about him are just writing to get published, or is there something that I am missing in their books. Most books I felt that I was having to struggle to get through or stay awake while reading. I am now looking into reading more of Lon Milo DuQuette’s works, after reading the forward he wrote for Rodney Orpheus’ book: Grimoire of Aleister…
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Tarot Talk
Eight of Swords (The Eight of Swords card is from the artist Ciro Marchetti http://www.ciromarchetti.com/)** By my calculations, this is the 78th card that we are discussing, which means after this month we have made it all the way through the entire Tarot deck! Congratulations, all of you who have stayed with me through this journey. This month we are going to talk about our final card, the Eight of Swords. As always, here is a bit of basic foundational information about the Eights of the Tarot Minor Arcana, and in particular our Eight of Swords. A Tarot deck has 78 cards. There are 22 Major Arcana cards,…
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Book Review – Pagan Portals: Persephone-Practicing the Art of Personal Power by Robin Corak
Book Review Pagan Portals: Persephone Practicing the Art of Personal Power by Robin Corak 112 Pages …We live in a society where the basic rights of some sectors of the community are threatened… What better time to invoke the lessons and attributes of a goddess who not only fought successfully for control over her own fate but who – as Queen of both the Underworld and Spring – also has the ability to cut ties with that which no longer serves her and manifest that which does?… I have reviewed several titles in the Pagan Portals series and am impressed at the quality of writings and the in…
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Book Review – Heart of Fire An Intimate Journey of Pain, Love and Healing by Leisa Stockall Cartelli
Book Review Heart of Fire An Intimate Journey of Pain, Love and Healing by Leisa Stockall Cartelli 231 Pages As a clinician, I am always amazed by the resilience of the human spirit…stories of abuse and trauma transforming people into survivors unexpectedly. Leisa Stockall Cartelli’s story is one of overcoming great adversity in the face of an unexpected accident. At the age of 9, a dramatic event forever changed her life and led to a life of pain, rejection and insecurity. This is a story of learning to love yourself despite your outward appearance. Having overcome many barriers in her life, Ms. Stockall Cartelli speaks of her journey…
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Review of Fred Hageneder’s Tree Angel Oracle Deck
The Tree Angel Oracle Deck Bright Blessings! I was thrilled to go to the mailbox, and find among the unwelcome bills the beautiful Tree Angel Oracle Deck to review! The author is Mr. Fred Hageneder, and I am surprised we don’t talk about him more in our Pagan circles. His bio, as written on innertraditions.com states, “Fred Hageneder is a leading expert in ethnobotany, specializing in the cultural and spiritual history of trees. A founding member of the Ancient Yew Group in Britain and a member of SANASI, a scientific group that helps protect indigenous sacred sites, he is also a member of the Ecocentric Alliance. The author…