Transformational Speaking

Transformational Speaking –
If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story

Author: Gail Larsen
Celestial Arts
2009
ISBN #978-58761-342-5

Our world is in great need of transformation, and each of us is an agent for that transformation. Gail Larsen (speaking and coaching consultant, founder of Real Speaking) has placed the focus of this book on moving beyond the words, and finding the “speaker within”. It doesn’t hurt that the book has a lively red cover, with a message from one of my favorite people at the bottom: “There is nothing more moving, inspiring or effective than speaking from your heart. Gail Larsen will take you there. – Lindsey Wagner.

For those who wish to speak, Larsen covers everything from the obvious (defining your message and refining your delivery), to the not so obvious (managing the dynamics of a room and building a connection with an audience of any kind), to the really not so obvious (getting everything down in writing before agreeing to speak, making sure the group you are speaking to is one that you have a message for, finding out in a seminar venue who is speaking before you and after you, checking out the room ahead of time … there is a never ending list here!

The function of a transformational speaker is to reach people on a deep level, and inspire them to action. Discover your core message, communicate it powerfully, and ignite a passion in others. (Think “I have a dream” here.)

The book begins with praise from such diverse people as Larry Dossey M.D. (author of The Extraordinary Power of Ordinary Things), Lindsey Wagner (actress and humanitarian), and Angeles Arrien, Ph.D. (cultural anthropologist and author of The Four-Fold Way and The Second Half of Life). Each of them testifies to the ability of Gail Larsen to be a storyteller and power for transformation.

In her preface Larsen talks about receiving the Small Business Administration Tennessee Small Businessman of the Year award, and being invited to the White House, in honor of the success of her business – Tennessee Women’s Career Conventions. She talks about how daunting it was to receive this honor as the first female “Businessman” in the state of Tennessee. Faced with a multitude of speaking engagements, she had to learn to develop the skills to work with large groups, and get her message across. She eventually joined the National Speaker’s Association, and became the NSA’s first full time executive vice president. Four years later she resigned, and formed Keynote Camp, an annual program meant to provide a comprehensive, intensive introduction to professional speaking.

Throughout this book, Larsen talks about the method that she has taught since 1991 in her Real Speaking workshops. She makes the point that a speaker can be remembered for their powerful presentation skill, or they can be remembered for their message. If the message goes deep enough to stir passion and action, then this person is a transformational speaker. This book was written expressly for those speakers that wish to be agents of change, for those that have a message of change that they wish to present to the world. These are people taking action, people who want to make a difference.

She talks about the myths of speaking, and about the six principles of transformational speaking: (1) you are an original, nowhere else duplicated, (2) you are a hero on a journey, and your journey defines your message, (3) the world we experience, both personal and planetary, reflects and expresses who we are individually and collectively, (4) you can’t figure it all out, you can’t make anything happen, and you can’t make anyone do anything, everyone of us holds a different strand of the web of life, and we each must heed our own call, (5) use your authentic power with those that can hear you rather than the force of argument with those who can’t, (6) you must be personally sustainable to do the work of change, cherish your precious, worthy self.

Larsen encourages each person to claim their gifts and talents. I found interesting a full two page listing of the qualities of a great speaker. The reader is encouraged to choose at least three qualities from this list that is fundamental to them. She also talks about each speaker taking their best material from their own Hero’s Journey and weaving it into their speeches. They have to step out of their own comfort zone in speaking, move away from that predictability to allow their material to flow.

Larsen presents the four disciplines of Star quality – that which make a transformational speak shine: (1) vary your tempo, (2) align tone of voice with your message, (3) add verbal punctuation, and (4) enliven the voices of your inner selves and characters. There is a great list of voices presented here – from abuser to hero and beyond – that really open up the mind to how many voices there are out there!

The advice is given to know yourself first, and then your audience. And then be prepared to be surprised! Understand the differences in styles of thinking, and the differences in audiences.

The reader is taken through how to put a presentation together, how to use quotations and humor, and how to create a sense of intimacy with the audience. Then the unknown factors in – the logistics of the speaking venue (size of the room, dead space (large room, small audience), and available equipment.

Calming, grounding and centering yourself before speaking is also discussed. Deep breaths and prayer are both tools that help here. Being aware of your own energy, of your own dynamics, and being good to yourself is also addressed. Doing back to back to back venues can have an adverse effect on how we think, and how we feel.

Through paying attention to more than just the words (indeed, to more than just the message) can become an agent of change. Be true to yourself – be authentic – and be true to your message.
I found this book to be of great value. The voice is very professional, yet very personal. Good use is made of personal stories to highlight the points made. This is excellent reference material – to be referred to again and again, and not just read through one time and then placed on the bookshelf. For those who teach, or for those who speak, this book is a manual for success.

© April 2009

LiteraTarot Europa

LiteraTarot Europa

Artists: Collaborative Deck
Co-ordinated by: Morena Poltronieri and Ernesto Fazzioli
Museo Dei Tarocchi – Hermatena
2009

The Museo Dei Tarocchi – Hermatena presents several decks each year – some as collaborative projects, some from individuals. “LiteraTarot Europa” is a collaboration from European artists (mainly Italian) that was published in the spring of 2009. Twenty-two artists chose books from literature as the theme for their individual cards. This is a Majors only, limited edition deck (300 copies), done on good quality cardstock. It is presented in a book-like wrapper, with covering folded up from both ends so that the cards do not fall out. The wrapper is held together with ribbons secured to the front and back covers.

The artists, and the literary works that they based their cards on, are as follows:

* Note: The cover art was done by Jessica Angiulli.

0 – Matto (Fool): Maria Grazia Martina – Rosso Malpelo by Giovanni Verga
I – Bagatto (Magician): Tiziana Bertacci – L’immortale di Borges (The Immortal, by Luis Borges)
II – Papessa (High Priestess): Emma Campo – Teodora di Paolo Cesaretti (Teodora – the Rise of an Empress, by Paul Cesaretti)
III – Imperatrice (Empress): Morena Poltronieri – Diario di Etty Illesum (Diary of Etty Illesum, a writer from the Netherlands who died in Auschwitz, November 1943)
IV – Imperatore (Emperor): Angela Maltoni – Cuore di tenebra di Conrad (Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad)
V – Papa (Hierophant): Pasquale Barile – Elogio alla Follia de Erasmo da Rotterdam (Praise to Madness, by Erasmo of Rotterdam)
VI – Amanti (Lovers): Ernesto Fazioli – Cime Tempestose di Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte)
VII – Carro (Chariot): K. Frank Jensen – On the Road di Jack Kerouac (On The Road, by Jack Kerouac)
VIII – Giustizia (Justice): Gabriele Caroli – S.C.U.M. di Valerie Solanas (S.C.U.M. Manifesto, by Valerie Solanus)
VIIII – Ermeta (Hermit): Andrea Franzoni – Rivolta contro il mondo moderno di Julius Evola (Revolt Against The Modern World, by Julius Evola)
X – Ruota di Fortuna (Wheel of Fortune): Paolo Mattioli – Edipo Re di Sofocle (Edipo King of Sofocle, by Paolo Mattioli)
XI – Forza (Strength): Martino Barbeiri – Shitao di Francois Cheng (Shitao – The Taste of the World, a book of art by Francois Cheng)
XII – Appeso (Hanged One): Giovanni Pelosini – Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi
XIII – Morte (Death): Monia Perulli – Il Corvo di Edgar Allen Poe (The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe)
XIV – Temperanza (Temperance): Adua Castellucci – Catalogo di Victor Brauner (Catalog by Victor Brauner)
XV – Diavolo (Devil): Maria Distefano – Moby Dick di Melville (Moby Dick, by Herman Melville)
XVI – Torre (Tower): Giuliana Cusino – Molto forte, incrediblimente vicino di Jonathon Safran Foer (Very Strong, Incredible Close, by Jonathon S. Foer)
XVII – Stelle (Stars): Octavia Monaco – Lo specchio e l’ombra di Giuseppe Barbieri (The Mirror and the Shadow, by Giuseppi Babierri)
XVIII – Luna (Moon): Rita Frazzoni – Favole italiane di Italo Calvino (Italian Fairy Tales, by Italo Calvino)
XIX – Sole (Sun): Silvia Tagliaferri – Sotto il sole giaguaro di Italo Calvino (Under the Jaguar Sun, by Italo Calvino)
XX – Giudizio (Judgement): Giovanni Monti – Il deserto dei Tartari di Buzzati (The Tartar Steppe, by Dino Buzzati)
XXI – Mondo (World): Ornella Lamberti – L’amore ai tempi del colera di Marquez (Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Marquez)

The cards are approximately 2 5/8” by 4 ¾”. The backs of the cards carry a ¼” white border. Surrounding the red and yellow (reversible) design that the Museo uses for many of their decks. The card faces show the card name, number, and book (in either Italian or English). The art styles used in this deck include paintings, pen and ink drawings, photography, collage or mosaic. The original artworks for this deck can be found in the Museo de Tarocchi in Riola, Italy.

My favorite card from this deck is Matto (The Fool), which is a colorful collage of postage stamps. L’immortale (The Magician) is a stunning card that shows you something new each time you look at it. I loved the colors in Papessa (The High Priestess) – done largely in orange and yellow, showing the face of a female with her eyes closed. Carro (The Chariot) goes modern, showing two individuals in a car, with a male figure standing in front of it, looking out at the reader. Ruota di Fortuna (The Wheel of Fortune) shows a male and female figure seated on top of the wheel, with a lovely Gekko-like figure hanging on to the wheel and watching them. I found Morte (Death) to be interesting in that it included two Rune graphics: a large graphic of what appears to be a piece of stone, and a much smaller graphic on the wrist of the individual holding the stone.

For pricing on the deck, and to see card scans, please visit Arnell Ando’s site (LiteraTarot Europa) . Arnell is the U.S. representative for this deck.

This deck will appeal to those interested in art, to deck collectors, and to those interested in Majors’s only decks. While each card has been done by a different artist, it is still a deck that can be used for reading. I do hope that the curators of the Museo de Tarocchi continue this tradition of producing decks on a yearly basis. It gives artists a chance to be known, and the Tarot public a chance to view (and work with!) some very creative decks.

© April 2009

Touchstone Tarot

Touchstone Tarot

Author: Kat Black
Artist: Kat Black
Kunati
2009
ISBN #978-1-60164-190-8

This review is for the mass market version of the “Touchstone Tarot” – the full 78 card deck plus the additional “Happy Squirrel” and artist cards, accompanied by a 197 page companion book. I want to take a moment here to thank Kunati for being willing to allow a Limited Edition version of this deck to be published before the mass market version came out. (The Limited Edition version was published by Leisa ReFalo of The Tarot Connection.) This was very gracious – and I am sure that there are many people like myself that ”had to” have both versions!

This is a very elegant deck – gilt edged, and presented in a sturdy cigar-style box. This is Kat Black’s second deck – her first deck being the stunning “Golden Tarot”. It is a digital collage deck, composed of works from European masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The tagline for this deck is “78 friends that you hold in your hand”. It is definitely a user friendly deck, but it goes beyond that. The figures in this deck look straight out at the reader – straight into their soul. When you read with them, it is as if you are having a conversation with a good friend over a cup of coffee (or tea).

The cards are 3 ½” by 5”, of sturdy, good quality card stock. The backs have a brown and tan floral pattern that is a bit “busy”, and could be just a tad distracting. The card faces show a ¼” brown border, with the card name and number at the bottom, against a gold background. The structure of the deck is traditional, using traditional titles for the Major Arcana, suit titles of Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins, and Court titles of King, Queen, Knight and Page. Traditional imagery is used throughout the deck.

The coloring in this deck is very soft, yet detailed. You can feel the question in the dog’s mind as he gazes up at the Fool. The Magician carries the wisdom of the owl that sits over his left shoulder, peering down at him. The Empress is in a state of grace with the flowers in her hand, and on her head. The Emperor is very determined, and takes his responsibilities seriously.

The Hermit walks with his animal allies, while Judgement shows a woman in dark clothing, hands held in prayer, with an angel playing a trumpet in the background, and mountains behind her.

The Aces in this deck are quite interesting, as they show winged angels along with the suit icon. I found myself fascinated by the card backgrounds – the globe sitting behind the figure in the Two of Coins, the books on the shelf behind the figure in the Six of Coins, the scholar looking up from his work in the Ten of Coins, and the draperies behind the figures in the Three of Cups.

The family in the Ten of Cups is shown against green fields, while a tiger stands with the figure in the Ace of Swords. The Six of Swords shows a male figure rowing a female figure, holding a baby in her arms. The costumes are rich and elegant, conveying a sense of good living.

The companion book carries mini-reviews of the “Touchstone Tarot”, done by “That Dan Guy” (Dan Pelletier) and myself. At the end of the book are sample readings contributed by members of the Aeclectic Tarot forum (myself included). The spread used was the Love Knot Spread – a signature spread developed by Kat Black for this deck.

In her dedication, Mary Greer notes the excellent job that Kat Black did in incorporating historical portraits and backgrounds into easily recognizable Tarot scenes. Greer notes that the personalities of the characters in this deck dominate each card. I have to agree – the energy is palpable. Note: Study the faces closely, and you will find people from the Tarot community looking back at you.

The foreword was written by a very special person – the Secret Benefactor that made this deck possible in the first place. Aside from being the Patron of this deck, I was impressed with her very quiet note in passing on the use of Tarot in business and investment decisions.

In her introduction, Kat Black talks about the wonderful feeling of being able to share her deck in progress with her benefactor – with someone who had, well, not a vested interest, but certainly a strong personal interest in the deck. Kat intended this book to be a companion to her deck, to give the reader insights into “this” deck, and to share the background for each of the cards.

I loved the fact that Kat included an FAQ section at the beginning of the book. There are so many half-truths, or quasi-truths in the Tarot world, that it is refreshing to see them put to rest. Amongst the questions discussed are: “Should a deck be a gift?”, “Should you let other people touch your cards?” and “Is it wrong to read cards for a third party?” Very good background information here!

The spreads presented include a One Card spread, Three Card spreads, the traditional Celtic Cross spread, and the Love Knot spread, a spread that was specifically designed for this deck by Kat.

The cards are presented with a black and white scan, a short discussion of the card, upright and reversed meanings, and a listing of the painting sources (remember – this is a collage deck!). There is one card that is unique to this deck (much as the Artist card is to the Sakki Sakki Tarot), and that is the Happy Squirrel. The card originated in an episode of the Simpson’s, and was never intended to be left in the deck for reading purposes. However, as Kat noted, many of us do leave this lovely, light-hearted card in the deck when we do readings. To me, if it comes up, it is a special gift to the Seeker.

I love working with the Limited Edition version of this deck, and know that the same magickal feeling will carry over into this stunning edition. May we all carry a little of the energy of the Happy Squirrel away with us!

© April 2009

Easy Tarot Guide

Easy Tarot Guide

Author: Marcia Masino
ACS Publications
1987
ISBN #0-917086-59-7

Having read Masino’s latest book (Best Tarot Practices), I thought that it might behove me to read her previous book – and I am very happy that I did! “Easy Tarot Guide” is just that – a guide to learning the Tarot that is easy enough for anyone to follow. It is also a hands on book – intellectual exercise combined with reader participation. This book evolved from Masino’s experiences in teaching the Tarot over a period of several years.

The book is divided into four parts: (1) Deck Description, (2) Reading Description, (3) Card Interpretations and (4) Summary. This is a very basic introductory book, aimed at individuals that are attempting to learn the Tarot on their own (as many of us did).

The first exercise with the cards is to go through the deck and take out the cards that you like and the cards that you dislike. Masino feels that the cards that are drawn will reflect the student’s present life conditions. The cards that the student likes may represent current goals or aspirations, or aspects of life that they are working on. The cards that the student dislikes may reflect parts of their life that they are unhappy with, or that cause them distress (perhaps areas that they are avoiding dealing with).

The Minor Arcana are the first cards that the student works with. There are a list of qualities for each suit, and the student is asked to go through that suit and pick out cards that represent each quality. For example, the qualities listed for the suit of Wands are: (1) Victory concerning goals, (2) Overwork, over-ambitious, (3) Fighting, (4) Defending and (5) Looking forward towards new enterprises and their results. At the end of this section is a review with both matching and true/false questions so that the student can assess their progress.

The Major Arcana are given astrological associations, and the student is asked to review the trump associated with their birth sign. The review questions at the end of this section are true/false questions.

The section on performing a reading is quite explicit – forming the question, choosing the significator, shuffling (and interpreting how the Seeker shuffles) and reading and interpreting the cut. The Tarot spread used as a sample reading is the traditional Celtic Cross spread. An overall interpretation of the cards is given as the first step in reading the cards. (i.e. Which cards are predominate – a specific suit, Court cards or Major Arcana.) There is an overview on numbers meanings, and on card combinations. The review at the end of this section is fill in the blank. A format is also given for recording readings in a diary.

The interpretation for the Minor Arcana cards is presented in groupings: Ace-Three, Four-Six, Seven and Eight, Nine and Ten. The main theme, upright and reversed meanings are given, accompanied by a color scan of each card. The review questions at the end of each section are a combination of fill in the blank, true and false and matching. There is also an assignment using the cards in a specified reading and interpreting them.

The Court cards are interpreted in title groupings (i.e. all of the Pages, all of the Knights, all of the Queens and all of the Kings), with the personality qualities, upright and reversed meanings, accompanied by a color scan of the card. The review questions are fill in the blank and matching.

The Major Arcana cards are listed in three groupings: 0-VII, VIII-XIV, and XV-XXI. They are presented with an archetypal association, symbolism, a discussion of the card and its imagery, and upright and reversed meanings. The review questions are a combination of fill in the blank, matching, and true/false. The assignment is to use the cards in a specified reading and interpreting them.

There are appendices at the end of the book with keywords for the Minor Arcana (Pips and Court cards), and the Major Arcana, along with a bibliography.

The book carries a very fluid pace, and is easily understood. The review questions are of a very good quality, and will help an aspiring reader to assess their level of understanding of the cards. I recommend this as a good addition to any Tarot library.

© April 2009

Amazon.com

By now most people know that Amazon.com created a huge issue for itself in the manner that it changed the ratings for adult content books – resulting in an incredible backlash from authors and readers. The following links are what I consider to be a quality reflection of this issue:

ow.ly/2JTF
http://www.feministing.com/archives/014797.html

I decided to do a three-card reading, and see what information came up. The positions are as follows:

1. What we know about this Amazon.com issue.
2. What we don’t know about the Amazon.com issue.
3. What we need to knwo about the Amazon.com issue.

The deck that I used for this reading was the Robin Wood Tarot. I have added in comments on the issue as I understand it.

1. Six of Cups
2. The Star
3. Six of Pentacles

The Six of Cups – such a friendly little card. What we know a out this issue is not as negative as it may seem. There is a sense of harmony between Amazon.com, their customers and the authors of the books that may not at first seem evident.

Cmment: Allegedly part of the reasoning for Amazon.com taking the action that it did was that there was concern from some consumers that inappropriate content was coming up during searches. Supposedly this is about sales, and not about censorship. There is also a thought out there that this was not a human decision per se, but someone tweaking coding for their own purposes.

What we don’t know it that there is hope – that the situation will be rectified. Looking at the energy of the Star, I would say that this issue will be rectified without the threats that are coming out in posts and blogs on the Internet.

Comment: For some people, this is guerilla warfare, and it is not pretty. (I also realize that not havng your books rated is guerilla warefare on the part of Amazon.com.) The sanest thing that I have seen happen, and the most postiive response so far, seems to be the petition (there may be more than one petition, but I only know about one for sure) that is circulating.

What we need to know about this issue is that, quite literally, finances will be brought back into balance. There will be profit for the company, and for the authors. What more can one ask!

The Gnostic Mystery

The Gnostic Mystery

Author: Randy Davila
Hierophant Publishing
2009
ISBN #978-0-9818771-0-5

Following in the footsteps of the Da Vinci Code, the Gnostic Mystery takes us to present day Middle East, and all of its obvious (and not so obvious) realities. We follow the trail of Jack Stanton, a highly successful American entrepreneur making a pilgrimage to present day Israel in hope of rekindling his Christian faith. Along with his former college roommate Punjeeh (now a physician in Jerusalem), Stanton acquires one of two ancient scrolls that present more questions than answers.

With the help of Chloe Eisenberg, a professor of philosophy and religion (and a good friend of Punjeeh’s wife Esther), the scroll is translated. Written by the Gnostic’s, the scroll makes startling claims – that the Gnostics were the original followers of Jesus, and that they retained secret knowledge of Jesus that was not included in the Bible.

The chase is on to locate the tourist that purchased the second scroll, and get it back from her. Through a suicide bombing, and deep crisis of soul for both Stanton and Punjeeh, we learn perhaps more than we wish to know about what is real, what is illusion, and how interconnected all religions really are.

I found this book to be chock full of interesting information on the Gnostics, the Essenes, and the early history of Christianity. At times the story is lost in the massive input of information, and the conversations become quite stilted, but as a reader I was compelled to keep reading! That these things could have happened carries a high percentage of probability. As for plausibility, the reader will have to determine that for themselves!

There is quite a good bibliography at the end of the book, as well as a list of questions for book club discussions. Looking them over, I felt that they were good questions for the reader to ask themselves, to see if they really had understood the book! In spite of the fact that the book drags at times, I do recommend it for anyone interested in the origins of Christianity, for those looking for a better understanding of the old and new testaments, or for those looking for a good storyline.

© March 2009

Planetary Apothecary

Planetary Apothecary –
An Astrological Approach to Health and Wellness

Author: Stephanie Gailing
Crossing Press
2009
ISBN #978-1-58091-191-7

Where to start – this is an amazing book! One place to start is with Gailing’s credentials – she is both a professional astrologer and a professional nutritionist who works with the ancient healing art of medical astrology. Serious chops here!

Gailing devotes an entire chapter to each of the signs of the zodiac, covering wellness and lifestyle recommendations in the areas of: health-supporting foods and eating tips, spa and wellness therapies, relaxation practices, yoga poses, aromatherapy, natural remedies and flower essences. There is literally something here for everybody!

I think that it is important for everyone to realize that they can use their own personal zodiac alignment to further their overall health and wellness. In her introduction, Gailing remarks that at the heart of medical astrology is the tenet “As Above, So Below”. There is a connection between the celestial bodies and our own physical bodies. She also notes that the signs and planets have alliances with different members of the plant, mineral and animal kingdoms. In other words – they work in conjunction with them.

A client accessing a medical astrologer is offered personalized wellness solutions. Using this book, any individual has the tools that they need to put these principles to work in their life. In discussing how to use this book, Gailing recommends reading the chapters on your Sun sign (which represents your vitality, and the essence of who you are), your Moon sign (which represents your emotional being, and can give clues to which health care approaches might be best for you, and your Ascendant (Rising sign), which represents the manner in which you present yourself to the world, and describes the characteristics of your physical body.

Each chapter has ten areas of focus: (1) Personal Health Profile, (2) Areas of Health Focus, (3) Healthy Eating Tips, (4) Health-Supporting Foods, (5) Spa and Wellness Therapies, (6) Relaxation Practice, (7) Yoga Poses, (8) Aromatherapy, (9) Natural Remedies, and (10) Flower Essences.

My work here was made easy, because my Sun and Moon are both in the sign of Capricorn. What did I find out about myself? That I am grounded by Earth, and that Saturn (the ruler for Capricorn) brings in limitations, attention to time, rules and responsibilities – all of which help Capricorn take an idea and manifest it into reality.

Capricorns thrive on accomplishing goals – so I need to set wellness as a goal. I will follow mainstream therapies before I run out and sign up for an alternative therapy. Joints are an area of health focus for me (my knees and hips will be happy to be acknowledged!). I also need to pay attention to my skin. I need to avoid burnout (Capricorns have a tendency to keep working until the job is done!). Capricorn’s are supposed to limit caffeine (sorry – coffee is a staple in my diet!). I need to drink water (yes, I do need to pay more attention here) and eat leafy greens (I am okay here). Swedish massages and body-moisturizing treatments are good spa therapies for Capricorns. I have a choice of hiking or Labyrinth walking (here I come Labyrinth!), and the Mountain, Chair and Hero are good yoga poses for me. Cypress, Frankincense and Scotch Pine are the aromatherapies for the Capricorn personality. Glucosamine Sulfate, SAMe and Turmeric are good natural remedies for Capricorns. Mimulus, Vine and Oak are the preferable flower essences for Capricorns.

Most of this I already knew, some of it was new, and all of it was put into better perspective. If you knew this about yourself, or someone that you cared about, what a difference you could make!

I found this book to be of help in understanding myself, and my needs, but also the needs of friends and family members. We can help ourselves, and offer gentle guidance to others, and we can make a difference using the “Planetary Apothecary” guidelines.

© March 2009

The 7 Great Prayers

The 7 Great Prayers
For a Lifetime of Hope and Blessings

Author: Paul McManus & Tracey McManus
Vanguard Press
2009
ISBN #978-1-59315-549-0

Offering a simple, effective solution for leading an authentic life in these troubled times. No one ever expected to be facing the level of meltdown that our global community is seeing at this time. Where do you turn, who do you turn to, when everyone around you is experiencing some level of financial concern, loss of job, loss of home, stress on relationships, and loss of hope?

You turn within, and you turn to the source of the Divine in your life. You turn to God, and you turn to prayer. Through strengthening your connection with whatever you perceive God, or the Divine Source to be, you align yourself with the positive in life, you gain hope, find your purpose in life, and lead a life of abundance and blessings. This is the premise of “The 7 Great Prayers”. Not incidentally, the publication of this book coincides with the 58th annual National Day of Prayer, which focuses on hope (www.ndptf.org).

Paul and Tracey McManus, and their children, have lived through the cycle of abundance, and then sudden loss (due to the crash of the dot-com economy). In response to their personal and financial challenges, they developed the system of “The 7 Great Prayers”. By focusing on their blessings, rather than on their losses, they found a tool that was transformational for them – a Prayer of Gratitude.

They developed the following principles for “The 7 Great Prayers”: Praise, Gratitude, Comfort & Strength, Attract Blessings, Connection, Blessing Others, and Live with Hope & Purpose. Starting with a simple web page, and running off copies of their book at Kinko’s, they sold over 62,000 books in over 163 countries around the world. Their system of prayer has helped countless people find hope, take their lives back, and surround themselves with the joy and abundance that they deserve.

Within the pages of this book the McManus’ walk the reader through the steps of developing their own prayers, reflective of their own life circumstances. They see this as their life purpose – to share this information with as many people as they can.

I loved the “artistry” of this book. Not only do the words flow, but the graphics are conservative and nicely placed. The graphic from the cover is used within the book (in black and white) to head each chapter. It is placed in an oval framework, as is the portrait of the McManus family at the beginning of the book.

Why am I talking about the graphic? Because while it shows a very pleasant scene of a river of water wandering through fertile green fields, with hills in the background, and a full rayed sun behind them, it is rife with esoteric meaning, and it embodies what this book is all about!

Throughout the book the McManus’ share the story of their difficulties, and how they found their way out of them, They share little snippets of their personal life to highlight the points that they are making, bringing their story into a very real setting.

The seven prayers, along with affirmations that each individual develops for themselves, are to be said on a daily basis – in fact, several times a day. They are also to be written out, to make them part of each individuals energy. The 7 Prayers, along with their associated affirmations, are to be read on a daily basis for 21 straight days – again, to make them part of the individuals energy body. It is also suggested that the individual work with a partner, or as part of a group. This lends them support in their work.

This book is meant to give the reader a method for connecting with spirit, with the additional tool of affirmations. The connection with spirit is made through the use of the 7 Great Prayers: (1) I love You God, (2) Thank You God, (3) God, You Are Within Me, (4) God, Bless Me, (5) God, I see You Everywhere, (6) God Bless and I Love … and (7) God, Help Me Help You.

There are sample affirmations for each of the prayers – the individual develops their own affirmations according to what they want to affirm in their own life. The McManus’ stress the importance of actually knowing what you want in life, so that you can take action on it.

Each affirmation is made in the present tense, in a positive tone, focusing on the blessings that you already have. Whatever the individual is wishing to manifest in their life is spoken of as if they already have it. In this way, the subconscious mind begins to believe that the wishes of the individual have actually manifested, and acts accordingly.

In this book there is actually a commitment that you make, and sign, to become part of the 21 day prayer challenge. As part of working with this book, the authors encourage the reader to write in the book (there are pages provided for writing affirmations down, and the reader is also encouraged to underline/highlight important words/concepts). Personally, I could never do this. Some individuals can. Each of us will do this work in our own way.

At the end of the book is a 21 day prayer journal, where the reader can jot down the affirmations that they have made, and make notes on their progress.

There is an Internet site associated with this book – The 7 Great Prayers – where you can find more information on the authors and on the 21 day prayer challenge. The authors have also created a CD with 50 minutes of positive affirmation prayers read by the authors against a background of inspirational classical music. The CD is available in both spoken and subconscious versions.

This is not a book to be read and set aside. It is not a book to be read, set aside, and then read again. It is a book to be worked with, placing intent and passion behind what the reader wishes to manifest in their life. Many different tools of empowerment came into play to create this work, and the authors make it very easy to place into your life. This is a wonderful resource for taking back control of your life!

© April 2009

Using Twitter

Sometimes I think Twitter is an alternate universe filled with Internet marketers that jam my screen with self-serving messages 24/7. If I allowed that, it could well be. I don’t look for them, they appear as followers, and I check out each profile that comes my way to see if we have a shared interest, or if they are in a field that might be helpful to me. I am very quick to stop following people whose messages are not interesting, or who basically have nothing to offer.

I am very new to Twitter, so I have only a basic understanding of its various applications. (And yes, I did get taken in by the Twitter Pro April Fool’s prank! I thought it was funny, and I did have to admire the techie expertise needed to pull that one off!) I like the social aspect of Twitter – the Tweeting between friends, and the ability to get and give feedback on whatever an individual wishes to post. However, I am also interested in how I can possibly use Twitter to market myself and my products. This leads to a very basic thought – before you can make Twitter work for you, take the time to understand what brought you there in the first place – “why” you are on Twitter, and what you hope to get from it.

Relevancy is a huge issue in marketing – you want the time and effort that you expend to mean something. You can do that with Twitter by following those people that have similar beliefs/goals, and reaching out to them so that they become part of your network (and you become part of theirs).

One thing that you can do here is see who is following the people that interest you – if they have something to offer, they should be part of your network too. You can also use the “Find People” function to locate specific people that you might be interested in following. Using Mr. Tweet (MTweet.com) is also helpful in finding relevant people to follow. MrTweet is billed as a “personal networking assistant” that helps you improve your Twitter experience with the use of statstics.

You can also use Twollo (Twollo.com) to find people with similar interests automatically. Twollo works via keywords, and for me, did not work as well.

Be willing to give a pat on the back, or a bit of positive advise to someone that you are following. If the comment that you want to make is of a sensitive nature, then send them a Direct Message (DM), so that only they will see it. Show patience and courtesy at all times. A personal note about DM’s – If someone sends me a DM that they have clearly typed in themselves, that is one thing. If the DM is an automated response to my following them, I have to take a good look at if I want to continue doing so. Automated DM’s aren’t worth my time, and show a lack of respect, from my viewpoint.

Be willing to share links –whether it is just a good laugh (we all need those!), or a link to timely information, or a new way of doing things. You build credibility by sharing worthwhile information. I follow several different coaches/marketers because of this – they promote their own business, yes – but they also share worthwhile information that helps me get where I want to go.

All of this looks like it would take a fair amount of time – and it does. Time spent on Twitter is two-fold – making personal connections (the “water cooler” syndrome), and marketing. You time will vary from day to day, depending on where your priorities are. Allow for the time needed to make Twitter work for you.

If you want to follow the upcoming trends of what is being Tweeted about on Twitter, go to Twitterfall.com. Through the use of custom search words, you can see what is trending in any specific area. Excellent marketing tool!

This link will take you to a blog that describes ten Twitter tools that will enhance you use of Twitter, such as Tweetdeck (shows the last 200 Tweets made by your followers); Twhirl, which does the same thing as Tweetdeck, with the capability of following multiple accounts; Tweetburner (which will shorten, send out and track links sent via Twitter, and more: TwiTip.com.

There is more! Here is a link to 27 Twitter applications for small businesses: smbceo.com.

I leave you with a link for a free e-book for beginners to Twitter (no – I did not write the book, but I am happy to pass it on!): Wellbeing.int.com.

Best Tarot Practices

Best Tarot Practices –
Everything You Need to Know to Learn the Tarot

Author: Marcia Masino
Foreword: Rachel Pollack
Weiser Books
2009
ISBN #978-1-57863-432-3

In her foreword, Rachel Pollack touches on a part of this book that I thought was very telling – and that is Masino’s association of each of the four suits with a cardinal virtue: Wands with Courage, Cups with Faith, Swords with Justice and Pentacles with Charity. I found this telling because it shows not only a solid grasp of the subject of Tarot, but also hints at an underlying familiarity with the esoteric arts that runs deeply and consistently throughout this book. Pollack points out that “Best Tarot Practices” is a useful book, and that that in itself is a virtue.

In her introduction, Masino states that the focus of this book is on personal insight and spiritual growth, while the purpose is to tackle all aspects of Tarot, making it a great resource guide. The book is divided into four parts: Part One – The Reader and the Tarot, Part Two – Three New Tarot Spreads, Part Three – New Meanings and Meditations For the Major Arcana, and Part Four – New Meanings and Meditations For the Minor Arcana.

In her discussion on mastering the card meanings, Masino takes the reader through a series of steps: for the Pips (numbered cards) she begins by presenting a theme for each of the suits (i.e. Wands indicate fortitude, courage, will, authenticity and aspiration), and then suggests that the reader take these themes and develop three or more keywords for each suit. The next step is to write down card titles, keywords, and how the environment appears to the reader. In the third step, information from the first two steps is combined to create the “reality” of the card for the reader.

For the Court cards, Masino presents character qualities for each of the suits, and suggests that the reader develop three keywords for each Court card from these qualities (i.e. Cups – intuitive, introspective, imaginative; interested in future possibilities; loving, nurturing, emotional, creative; powerful dreams; deep sustained faith). Masino then discuses six different techniques for learning the Court cards: descriptive storytelling, explaining or teaching to someone else, connecting word and picture, dreams, symbol and theme and association to family and friends.

For the Major Arcana, Masino recommends going through the cards one at a time, scanning each card and connecting the symbols within the card to the one theme that represents the card. After scanning the card, the reader then writes down the colors/symbols within the card that drew their attention. She suggests that the reader then turn to the Major Arcana section of this book, read about the card being studied, and then write down the words/phrases that help clarify/enhance their interpretation.

In helping the reader to understand a reading, Masino presents a sample reading and interpretation, following this up with a series of card descriptions. The reader is to determine which card they think is being described. (i.e. “You are a loving woman.”, “Faith opens your heart, and uncertainty closes it.”) The answers are provided at the end of the chapter.

In the section on creating a positive reading experience, Masino covers designing effective questions, bonding with the Seeker, working with a negative reading, and assessing the central message of a reading. She also discusses how to recognize channeled information, how to use different psychic skills and how to handle difficult clients.

Three spreads are presented: a Zodiac spread, the Whole Self Spread and the Four Seasons spread (recommended for use at the autumn and spring equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices). I found the Zodiac spread especially interesting, as several cards were added to the traditional spread: three cards laid above the spread, representing Past/Present/Future, and the Daath cards – seven cards laid below the spread, bringing out hidden information that relates to the primary spread.

In the section on the meanings and meditations for the Major Arcana, each card is listed by archetype (i.e. Fool – Spirit, Star – Inspired manifestation of true self), a short paragraph on the card, an interpretation, upright and reversed meanings, questions to consider, affirmations and a meditation. This is where the esoteric/occult information really comes out strongly, and is a great gift in understanding the cards.

The meditation on the Fool gifts the reader with techniques for a breathing exercise that provides serenity and opens the channel to the Higher Mind, and a technique for connecting with symbols of all kinds. The meditation for the Hermit connects the reader with their Inner Guide. The meditation for Justice deals with karmic adjustment. The meditation for the Star aligns the chakra system. Each meditation builds on previous meditations, and gifts the reader with a powerful portfolio of tools of empowerment.

In meanings and meditations for the Minor Arcana, each suit is broken down into Triumph cards and Challenge cards, with definitions given for each (as well as what reversed cards bring as challenges on their own). (i.e. For the suit of Pentacles, the Triumph cards are Ace, Two, Three, Four, Six, Eight, Nine, Ten, King, Queen, Knight and Page. The Challenge cards for the suit of Pentacles are the Five and Seven of Pentacles. Reversed cards carry the challenge of uncharitable conditions both inwardly and outwardly, lack of value in work and profession, low self-valuing, belief in cruelty, and alienation from spiritual sources and creative gifts.

Blank templates for each of the three spreads presented are placed at the end of the book.

I was very impressed with the quality of the writing, the quality of the understanding of the Tarot system, and the depth of understanding for the esoteric associations with the Tarot. Through discussion, exercises, questions, and meditation, information on the Tarot is brought through in such a way that each reader is able to develop a deep understanding within themselves of the work that they are doing with the cards.

I highly recommend this book to all Tarot students. Beginning students could use it, but I would really place this material in the intermediate to advanced category. It carries value for all levels of reader, and is a welcome addition to any level of Tarot library.

© April 2009