Tarot of the Dream Enchantress

Tarot of the Dream Enchantress

Artist: Marco Nizzoli
Instructions: Barbara Moore
Lo Scarabeo
2009
ISBN #978-0738715308

“Tarot of the Dream Enchantress” is all about dreamtime – that bridge between our conscious and unconscious/subconscious selves. Moore notes that Tarot and dreamtime are well connected, as they both work from a foundation of symbols and images. This visual language helps us to move beyond our rational defenses and access our true feelings. She also notes that we dream not only at night, but during the day also. According to Moore, our dreams carry a power all of their own. Combined with the images from this deck, where the Dream Enchantress has woven mystical messages into each card, we can reach new levels of understanding.

This is a traditional 78 card deck. The Major Arcana carry traditional titles, with the exception of the Wheel of Fortune, which becomes the Wheel. Justice is VIII, Strength is XI. The four suits are Wands, Chalices, Swords, and Pentacles. The Court Cards are entitled Knave, Knight, Queen, and King.

The accompanying LWB (Little White Book) follows the Lo Scarabeo tradition of being in five languages: English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. The cards are listed with short explanations of the energy that they carry, but no scans. From the book:

0, The Fool: Are you on a journey to discover the world or discover yourself? What is the difference, really? Don a mask, experience the world as someone else, and discover a new part of yourself.

Queen of Pentacles: Even when surrounded by luxuriousness, in the end, all that really matters is what you see when you look at yourself.

Ace of Chalices: A spot in your heart that was once empty is now filled. When viewed through overflowing joy, nothing ever looks the same.

Nine of Swords: Nightmares torturing sleep are usually considered a bad thing, But for some, the pain of remembering is more comforting than the ache of forgetting.

The cards themselves are approximately 2 5/8” by 4 ¾”, on good quality card stock. The backs show a ¼ white border, surrounding a green and gold, reversible design. The faces show the same white border, with the card inset showing a ½” black border at the top and bottom of the card. The numbered cards show the suit in gold in the middle of the top border, and the number in white in the middle of the bottom border. The Court Cards show the suit symbol in the middle of the top border, and the symbol for the card title in the middle of the bottom border. The Major Arcana show the card number, in white Roman numerals, in the middle of the top and bottom borders.

The art style is fantasy, using muted coloring. If there is one thing that I would like to have seen done with this deck, it would be to have an explanation of the background of the images and art on the cards.

I found this deck to be very easy to work with, and many of the cards to be outstanding. Some of my favorite cards were the Ace of Swords, which shows a fairy-like figure holding her hand out towards the clouds, palm up, with an upright sword hovering over it; the Queen of Wands, which shows a female figure, dressed in green, seated in a tree, with a wand in her right hand; the Eight of Pentacles, showing an artisan at work; and the Eight of Cups, which shows a female figure with wings kneeling at the edge of a pond, looking at her reflection in the water. I loved the imagery, with repeated figures with wings, and images within images.

This is not a beginners deck, as the imagery, while beautiful, is not traditional. There is also a certain extent of nudity (although very well presented). Those who are interested in art decks, in collecting decks, or in the dreamlike quality of the artwork, will appreciate this deck.

© September 2009

Madam Le Normand’s Fortune Telling System

Madam Le Normand’s Fortune Telling System

Schiffer Books
2008
ISBN #978-0-7643-2853-4

Madam Le Normand was fortune teller to Emperor Napoleon. In 1866 she shared her secrets about telling the future through the use of playing cards, dice and omens. This kit includes 52 playing cards reprinted from the 1800’s, a set of dice, a destiny layout spread sheet and a 146 page companion book – “Madam Le Normand’s Unerring Fortune Teller – Oracle of Human Destiny”. All of this is enclosed in a sturdy cardboard, cigar-style box with a lid that lifts up from the front with the use of a ribbon pull. I love the quality of Schiffer products – the lid fits firmly enough that you hear a click when closing it.

The companion book starts out with instructions for consultation, beginning with the formation of a question. This question is to be asked of any lady in the company, and she will act as Priestess for the duration of the reading. Using the Table of Celestial Signs, she then advises the Inquirer which of the twelve exercises an influence over, or presides over, the question under consideration. The Inquirer then writes out his or her question. The directions continue, with reference to the Mystical Table.

Following these directions is the Table of Celestial Signs, with corresponding questions. From the book: “Aries – The Ram – presides over Absent friends and relatives”. The corresponding question is “I wish to hear News of my relations and friends?”

The reader then sees a series of answers to the question, using the correspondence of sign and number (from I to LII. For example, for the sign of Aries and the number I, the answer is “They are in expectation of great riches.” For the sign of Capricorn, and the number XXI, the answer is “A log established and once powerful empire is tottering to its fall.”

In the section on the cards, Madam Le Normand presents definitions for each card. (The cards used are the Seven through Ten of each suit, and the Knave, Queen, King and Ace. The suits are Clubs, Hearts, Diamonds and Spades. From the book: “Ace of Spades – Pleasure; Reversed – grief, bad news”. There are instructions for dealing the cards for templates of three, seven, fifteen, and twenty-one cards. Reading methods include the Italian Method, Present/Past/Future, the Star, and the English Method.

In the section on reading with dice, we see a table of 36 questions, with corresponding answers. For question 36 (Shall I soon receive the wished for tidings?), the answer represented by two Aces is “Sooner than you expect.” The answer for this same question represented by the an Ace and a Deuce is “Not so very soon.”

The next section covers good and bad omens, such as the throwing of an old shoe for good luck over or after the bride or groom, upon their leaving the church, or the home of the bride, after their wedding. Interesting to see how the thoughts of these times ran!

This is followed by one hundred and seven weather omens, such as “If there be dry weather with a weak south wind for five, six, or seven days, it having previously blown strongly from the same quarter.” under the heading “ For fine and dry weather oflong continuance.”

At the end of the book we see instructions for working with Hymen’s Lottery, and Napoleon’s Oraculum; or, Book of Fate.

While a bit unusual, I found it fun to work with these oracle structures. The dice are quite small, black and white. The cards are approximately 2 ¾” by 4 ¾”, of sturdy, glossy cardstock. The card faces show a green border, with a white background and the suit icons, with no other imagery. Spades and Clubs are black, Diamonds and Hearts are red. The card backs show a gold border, surrounding a scene showing a witch-like woman behind a table with a candle and playing cards on it. On top of the chair behind her we see an owl, while to her left and behind her we see a globe of the world. Arcane symbols are on the wall behind her.

For those that are interested in the unusual, or into taking a look at the past, and how they looked into the future, then this book is for you. It gives you the advantage of a new and different way of looking at the questions that we all face in life!

© September 2009

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol

Author: Dan Brown
Doubleday
2009
ISBN #978-0-385-50422-5

Dan Brown, author of the “Da Vinci Code”, has come up with another thriller that is thoroughly steeped in wealth, privilege, politics, secret fraternities, hidden laboratories, and the extremes of human nature. His character Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, is yet again in the position of finding the solution to a cryptogram – only this time, his close friend and mentor Peter Solomon’s life is a stake. That is – if Solomon is still alive. It seems that Langdon took a private flight, and a private limo ride, at Solomon’s request, to come and give a lecture to a private charity. Only to find that Solomon’s right hand, wearing his Masonic ring, was abruptly left by a very strange individual in the Capitol Building (Washington, DC) – the building that Langdon was supposed to lecture in. The fingers of the hand have been tattooed, making the hand an exact replica of the Hand of the Mysteries!

Langdon is assisted by the victim’s sister, Kathy Solomon, a high powered research scientist in the Noetic field, with a private laboratory funded by her brother. Strange characters enter the fray faster than one can count – the second in command at the CIA, a Japanese woman by the name of Sato, with a “take no prisoners” mentality; Warren Bellamy, Architect of the Capitol, and 33rd degree Mason; the Reverend Doctor Colin Galloway, Cathedral Dean; and a super powered reincarnation of all that is evil in the form of an individual that has renamed himself Mal’akh.

Activity takes place in Washington, DC over the period of two days and a night. The symbolism in this book comes from Freemasonry. While Langdon is not a Freemason, he does hold up the Freemason argument throughout the book, and has a great deal of knowledge about them through his work as a symbologist.

There are many things to think about in this book – cryptograms, puzzles within puzzles, the architecture and layout of Washington, DC (which has a strong Masonic history going back to the founding fathers). Layer upon layer of mystery – the good guys become the bad guys, the bad guys become the good guys. A highly protected secret is at stake – and has to be balanced against the life of one man. Is this secret the symbol the Mal’akh is looking for, or is it something that could bring down the US government?

The writing is fast paced, and interesting. Enough information is given along the way that the reader can research any number of topics referred to in the book with some degree of clarity. I would like to have seen the Langdon character exhibit a bit more backbone, and a bit more common sense! Kathy Solomon (Peter Solomon’s sister) uses her wisdom to get them out of more than one tricky situation. Too often, the reader knew what a character was going to say or do before they did it. I would also like to have seen the character of Warren Bellamy, Architect of the Capitol, continue with the strength of attitude that he was introduced with.

Aside from the art and architecture references, the backbone of the Freemason thinking, and their history and rituals, was decently presented. As with all things, take from this book what you will. It is not a book on Freemasonry, it is a fiction novel. Enjoy it as a wonderful mystery, a time out from day to day life. For mystery fans, for fans of Dan Brown, and those interested in the human psyche – this book is well worth reading.

© September 2009

Houses of New Orleans

Houses of New Orleans

Author: Alex Caemmerer
Schiffer Books
2008
ISBN #978-0-7643-3317-6

New Orleans is one of the most impressive cities that we have in the United States. The damage that was done by Hurricane Katrina ruined a great portion of the city – that which was on lower ground. The districts that were on higher ground (the Garden District, the Lower Garden District, Central City, the French Quarter, and the Creole faubourgs) sustained high wind damage, but were able to be repaired. What is visible is the lack of trees, which were uprooted by the hurricane force winds.

It was interesting for me to note that while we normally think of New Orleans as being a southern city, the cultural and architectural influences come from even further south, from the Caribbean Islands.

There is a nice bit of history in the beginning of the book, so that the reader gets a feel for the cultural background of this lovely city. Being a port city, on of it’s biggest needs is for adequate housing for workers. The areas north and east of the original city, areas that were once plantations, were divided into “faubourgs”, or neighborhoods. The home builders of the early part of the Nineteenth Century were mostly free blacks and Creole entrepreneurs – houses were both designed and constructed, for the most part, without the assistance of an architect.

Early house types included different versions of the Creole style, while later styles include the Shotgun style (which I remember distinctly from a mystery book that I read!). An interesting tid bit from the book about the Shotgun style was that it allowed some important African values to be maintained without extensive modifications, which helped them to endure difficult social conditions.

Another style popular in New Orleans was the Greek Revival style. The individual style of the house was shown off in variations of elaborate plaster work, mill work and cast iron decorations. The Romantic styles that followed included Victorian, Queen Anne, Italianate, Second Empire and Eastlake. Some facets of the Romantic style were added to existing homes in the form of decorations.

It is hard to imagine how beautiful a narrow home with one window and a door can look until you see the photo’s, with the shutters, lovely colors and ironwork, (Ornamental ironwork is amazingly graceful, and adds a touch of class to any building, in my mind.)

I am impressed with the depth of the homes offered here. From one to three bay shotgun homes, to a Greek Revival three bay Shotgun home, to a three bay Victorian – they are lovely, very individualistic homes. One of my favorite photo’s was of a double shotgun style home with Victorian-Queen Anne millwork and turned posts, with an Italianate motif on the gallery. The Plantation style homes were oh so elegant, with such attention to detail that one wonders where the craft went! Then there is the Greek Revival from the Lower Garden District – very appealing to those of a conservative nature. And the Greek Revival from the Garden District – quite an elegant mansion!

The photo’s and the history in this book are both compelling, showing a culture that is different from every other part of the United States. If you didn’t want to visit before, you will after you read this book!

© September 2009

Moon Phases – A Symbolic Key

Moon Phases –
A Symbolic Key

Author: Martin Goldsmith
Whitford Press (Schiffer Books)
1988
ISBN #978-0-914918-83-4

I am not well versed in astrology, but I do have an interest in moon phases, and how we can work with them. Lunar astrology has it’s place, right up there with Solar astrology, in my world view. That this work has held up for over twenty years is a testament to the interest that it holds in the world of those who are interested in astrology.

Goldsmith gives the reader insight into the historical background of his work, as well as his research methods. It is here that we find that the foundation that this lunar theory is built on can be traced to the poet William Butler Yeats, whose wife channeled the information through automatic writing over a period of years. Their research became a book entitled “A Vision” (published in 1926), which outlined an elaborate metaphysical system associating variations of the human personality to the phases of the moon.

There is a wonderful section on historian Frances Yates, and her discovery of Neoplatonic influences in the works of Spences, Milton and Shakespeare. This became the starting point for scholarly inquiries into the Hermetic and the occult traditions. Goldsmith also speaks of Yeats regard for symbols as a gateway to memories.

From there Goldsmith moves on to the magical society of the Golden Dawn, and Yeats involvement with it. This section was of particular interest to me, as the characters involved are also involved in the world of Tarot, as I have been for many years. In 1976 the book “Phases of the Moon” (Dorothy Wergin, Marilyn Busteed, and Richard Tiffany) resurrected Yeat’s system by bringing it into a more active relationship with the living.

Now came the work of defining Yeat’s twenty-eight phases of the moon in a workable fashion. One part of this that struck Goldsmith was the relations between the phases of the moon and the zodiac signs. In studying the moon phases, Goldsmith began to get visual pictures of what they looked like. Symbols of each phase, as it were. Symbols that were arrived at through intuition.

There is an entire section devoted to the Sun and the Moon in the natal chart, as well as moon phases. The twenty-eight phases of the moon give a much more in depth look at who we are, our personality, motivations, perceptions and abilities. Goldsmith also discuses images and symbols in lunar perception, and the moon phase and the Mercurial Principle.

There is a very simple, easy to follow explanation on how to find your moon phase – all you need is your natal chart, and the knowledge of whether the moon was waxing or waning when you were born. There is a chart of the twenty-eight phases, listing them by name, with keywords. From the book:

“ Phase 2: The Trickster (moon is 30 to 40 degrees of the sun)

keywords: impulse and desire; manipulativeness; desire to affect the world; mischievous humor (devilish, amoral); reality as defined by words and concepts; clever new perspectives; inventiveness.”

Goldsmith goes on to discuss each phase in turn, beginning with a sketch of the symbols for that phase, followed by a discussion of the phase and examples from real like that were born into that phase. (It is noted that birth information that was of public record was used, so every example may not be correct.)

At the end of the book, Goldsmith discusses the “system within the system” that makes up the lunar phases, including association with the four faculties (will, mask, creative mind, and body of fate). He also discusses the moon phases and the chakra system, and posits a (albeit incomplete) system for associating the moon phases with the twenty-two cards of the Tarot Major Arcana.

As a layman, I found Goldsmith’s work easy to read, and easy to follow. It gifts the reader with another tool that they can use to empower themselves in making decisions and taking action in their life. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to know themselves, and the world around them, a bit better.

© September 2009

Outdoor Designs for Living

Outdoor Designs for Living

Author: Michael Glassman
Photographer: Amy Gallo
Schiffer Books
2009
ISBN #978-0-7643-3180-0

The combination of Michael Glassman (award winning landscape designer) and Amy Gallo (photographer, whose credits include publication in the books “Outdoor Stonework” and “Garden Getaways: Havens at Home”, and the magazines “Sacramento Magazine” and “Valley Living”) has resulted in a beautifully photographed and documented book on outdoor living spaces.

I am impressed that thought has clearly gone into ecologically sound design, as well as use and function. The outdoor living areas presented in this book are works of art that flow from the indoor living area, and back into it. The resource information (“Helpful Hints For Front Yards”, “The Top Ten Landscaping Tips To Remember”, “Hints For Designing Your Outdoor Kitchen” and “The Top Ten Landscaping Challenges) are excellent places to start specific projects.

The use of before and after photography, as well as a concise description of what the problems were, and how they were addressed, helps the reader get an idea of what can be done in their own situation.

Partial wall, water elements, outdoor fireplaces, pools, and complete outdoor kitchens are a few of the issues addressed in this book. Focus was also on best use of plants (for upkeep, color, and water usage), curved walkways, subdued outdoor lighting, use of mixed media and attention to detail.

One thing that is definitely on my list of things to have is a fire bowl. They are small, and absolutely gorgeous! Small details, such as trailing plants in large urns and antique iron gates make this book outstanding!

I think that we tend to limit ourselves as to what “can be”. Glassman’s work opens up the frontier of what “can be” in a very fulfilling manner. We want our homes to be safe places, and we want them to be visually appealing. A little thought (and work) can give us our own little piece of paradise!

Victorian Homes of San Francisco

Victorian Homes of San Francisco

Author: Terry Way
Artist: Terry Way
Schiffer Books
2009
ISBN #97-0-7643-3212-8

I have always had an interest in Victorian architecture, but this book was especially appealing to me because the location is San Francisco – a city that I greatly admire. Terry Way is a full time freelance photographer – he combines stunning photography with a great empathy for the environment and history of his subject in this work.

The book is divided into three parts: Part One (The Soul of the City) covers the history of San Francisco and Victorian visions. Part Two covers the different Victorian styles: Italianate, Flat-fronted Italianate, Bay Windowed Italianate, San Francisco stick-Italianate, Queen Anne. Part Three is a gallery of photographs that ocuses o the finer details of the architecture.

Knowing a bit about the history of these houses – in the environment of an Francisco – allows us to appreciate them even more. The terrain of the city is quite steep, with the city originally laid out in a stand checkerboard grid pattern. The steepness and the grid pattern do not necessarily make for easy building! Many of the builders of this wonderful city were European, and brought with them a sense of style and history that to date had not been seen in the American west.

New milling techniques allowed structures to go up faster, with more artistic characteristics. Redwood was cheap, plentiful and often used in building. This is the primary reason that so many of these Victorian structures have lasted, as redwood carries the ability to resist bugs and rot.

Originally these structures were painted either gray or white. In the 1960’s Haight/Ashbury lead the way in revitalizing Victorian homes. What was the foundation of this revitalization? They painted these houses lovely, bright colors! This is why Victorian houses carry the gentle acronym of “Painted Ladies”. Today we are moving towards a more refined look for our venerated Victorians – but they are still honored as a significant part of our history.

Way has photographed Victorian structures from all over the San Francisco area, giving us a good representation of what this city holds. The angles and depth of photography in this book are amazing. One of the first things that I noted were the windows – some of which showed graceful lace curtains that brought back warm memories.

The Gallery shows some of the finer points of these lovely homes. We see bay windows (I adore bay windows!), a weather vane of a Queen Anne tower, frieze on a San Francisco Stick home, decorations on Italianate homes and so much more!
This book is for anyone who loves Victorian architecture, San Francisco in general, and good photography. It sheds light on a lovely part of our past – and present.

© September 2009

Haunts of Western Oregon

Haunts of Western Oregon

Author: Kent Goodman
Schiffer Books
2009
ISBN #978-0-7643-3224-1

There is a great deal of history that is really not in the history books. The past remains with us in many different ways – the stories we tell, the symbols surrounding us, even the buildings that we live in. Interwoven into all of this is our energetic past – energies that were created by decisions made and actions taken. Here we enter into the world of the paranormal – ghosts, unexplained activity, and hauntings.

There are people and organizations out there that make it their business to “debunk” the stories, the ghostly energy, and the alleged haunting. And then there are people who simply report on the same, leaving it to the reader to decide for themselves. Kent Goodman, in “Haunts of Western Oregon”, is an individual who has had paranormal experiences, but who also takes the position of impartial reporter.

The “wild west” can indeed be wild! Goodman takes us on a tour of Western Oregon, location by location, talking about things like skeletons sitting at the dinner table, the ghost of a young man, dressed in a leather jacket, walking his dog late at night on a dark Eugene street, and a civil war era seen in the mirror of a local house. Schools, hospital, private homes … they all have their own stories to tell!

In his introduction, Goodman talks about the Willamette Valley as being the destination of choice for many pioneers in the 1840’s. He also made the astute observation that most people in western Oregon simply consider themselves “Oregonians”, as opposed to being tied to one specific locale. This is a theme that he carried over into this book (although specific areas are talked about, many of the happenings are seen (in some version) in more than one place.

Goodman defines the spirit world as existing in the same timeline as the physical world, yet separate from it. He indicates that ghosts are most often seen at night, and likens connecting with them as a form of telepathic communication. They certainly make themselves known in physical ways – sometimes by the movement of physical objects when here is no one around, sometimes by sound (again, when no physical presence can be noted), and sometimes by literal cold areas in a building or specific outdoor area. Bottom line – there is another world, and we need to honor its presence.

Goodman talks about many things – bats turning themselves into vampires, a man dressed as a janitor who visits a college dorm, the actor Charles Laughton seen walking around in Ashland’s renowned Shakespeare Theater, a séance done in Southern Oregon University’s Plunkett Center, rock features that act to protect mountains, and much, much more!

This is an entertaining book, but also one that can be readily used for reference, as Goodman has arranged the stories alphabetically by city/town/area. The mists of the Willamette valley to the coastal waters – they all have their own stories to tell.

There are some very scary “footsteps in the night” in this book! A great read, and a valuable history of this part of our country.

© September 2009

The 7 Connections to Happiness and Harmony

The 7 Connections to Happiness and Harmony –
Decision Making Made Easy With Yoga’s 7 Chakras

Author: Shirley Desai
Shared Step Press
2009
ISBN #0-9840613-0-4

“The 7 Connections to Happiness and Harmony” (Shirley Desai, Shared Step Press, 2009) brings together the process of decision making and the chakra system (the energy centers that run along our spinal column and control the energy coming into and leaving our body). When we work with the chakra system as a way of dealing with the choices and decisions that we are faced with on a daily basis, we are bringing tremendous spiritual energy into our daily lives in a significant manner.

In her introduction Desai notes that she is applying the ancient system of the chakras to the processes of thinking and decision making. Desai talks about each chakra correlating with a region of the body or a nerve center, and, in turn, to levels of consciousness and spiritual constructs.

The chakras are identified as:

1. Chakra One (Root Chakra) – safety and fear
2. Chakra Two (Sacral Chakra) – excitement and pleasure
3. Chakra Three (Solar Plexis Chakra) – ego and values
4. Chakra Four (Heart Chakra) – heart and t ruth
5. Chakra Five (Throat Chakra) – creativity and self-expression
6. Chakra Six (Third Eye/Brow Chakra) – analysis and intuition
7. Chakra Seven (Crown Chakra) – vision and higher purpose

Energy moves in two directions – from the crown of our head down the chakra system, and from the soles of our feet up the chakra system, being processed at each of the chakras. Multiple chakras are being processed at the same time, constantly balancing the needs of each chakra. Energy that is flowing upward is expanding (making us open to new information, ideas and people), while energy that is flowing downward is contracting (limiting information and reducing our options).

Our chakras can be blocked by too much or too little energy flowing through them. A blockage in one chakra has the ability to affect both the chakra above and below it. Desai notes that most blockages will occur in the lower three chakras (chakra one through three), although there can also be instances of blockages in the upper chakras (chakra four though seven). Blockages affect us in both the mental and emotional realms.

A prime component in this process is what Desai terms “Mountaintop Thinking”. From the book: “The premise of any decision-making process should be to increase our flow of important information and ideas. An open mind and a broader perspective can open the floodgates to new ideas and opportunities that may have seemed unimaginable before. … The “Mountaintop Mindset” is one of calm control, in which we have access to vast information that is untainted by personal emotions and biases.”

Separate chapters are devoted to each of the chakra’s. Each chapter discusses the purpose of the specific chakra, how it works in our life, questions to be answered about the readers experience of that chakra, secrets to maintaining “Mountaintop Thinking” (clear sighted thinking), and ends with a summary of how to work with the issues of that chakra.

For example, Chapter One deals with the Root Chakra. The keywords for this chakra are safety and fear. The root chakra is where we exhibit our survival instincts, where our fears show up, and where we establish our personal sense of safety. The color associated with this chakra is red – signifying passion, will, and creativity. This is a chakra of action. The root chakra is where our fight or flight response originates. It is also where we experience fear. Included in this section are the questions posed to readers: “What are the types of behaviors and physiological sensations that you experience when scared?”, and “Are there any fears that are holding you back?” (I liked the way the the questions were placed in insets within the text.)

To get a handle on our fears, Desai talks about “saying no” to them. If we learn to recognize that fear is based on keeping attachments to people, objects, and ideas, and that these things are only temporary, we will feel better about releasing them. We can also learn to accept our failures and move on, not allowing them to hold us back.

We can also consciously shift our thinking from a reactive to a proactive mindset. Desai states that if we prevent a problem from taking root, then we don’t have to deal with it. If we are aware of our thinking, we can stay in tune with “Mountaintop Mindset”, see issues with greater clarity and make better, more informed decisions. We then need to implement these decisions with courage.

At the end of the chapter are a list of points made concerning this chakra.

I was impressed with the presentation, which included insets, quotes, questions for he reader to ponder, chapter summaries and amusing cartoons appropriate to each chakra. I enjoyed reading this book, and I think that you will too.This is a book to be worked with, and not simply read. It is a valuable resource for those that wish to make better decisions, in less time, with less stress.

© September 2009

Wisdom of the Hidden Realm

“Wisdom of the Hidden Realms” Oracle Cards

Author: Colette Baron-Reid
Artist: Jena DellaGrottaglia
Hay House
2009
ISBN #978-1-4019-2842-6

“Wisdom of the Hidden Realms” is a delightful 44-card oracle deck and companion book set from author Colette Baron-Reed and artist Jena DellaGrottaglia (Hay House, 2009). The introduction starts out “Imagine … From the oldest cultures on earth, ancient myths and legends tell of powerful, magical beings that have existed as our trusted allies, protectors and advisors. It is said that they’ve lived alongside humanity since time began, yet in another dimension separated only by a thin, etheric veil. Angels, Faeries, Nature Spirits, and others walked between the worlds and beside us openly for a time. They served with us as co-creators of the bridge between the realms of the Spirit and those on earth.”

The promise made by these beings was that if their likenesses and names were summoned, they would be there to guide and assist us. That is the premise of this deck. The Guidebook explains how to use the cards (their purpose), and how to do a reading. Single-card and three-card reading templates are presented, along with examples.

The cards are presented with black and white scans, keywords, and how the energy of the card can function as both an ally and a challenger. From the book: “The Word Lord – communication, praise, dishonesty”. As an ally, this card functions to let the Seeker know that positive things will come of all interactions. As a challenger, this card warns the Seeker of untruths, of denial, and of unsupported thoughts and words.

Other cards in this deck include The Spirit Whisperer, The Dream Walker, The Shadow Queen, The Resting Tree, and The Horse King. Each card represents some aspect of life, some energy that we can call on to help us, or perhaps some energy that we need to be a bit waryl of.

The cards are 3 ½” by 5”, and of good quality, glossy card stock, with a beautiful gilt edge. The come in s sturdy cardboard box with a lift-off top. The card backs are done in gray and white, and represent an archway, resting in the clouds, with an angelic being at the top and back of it, with bird-like figures circling the right hand side of the archway.

The card faces show the name of the energy/deity, followed by its keywords. The scenes are bordered by a golden arch. The art style is mystical/fantasy, very gently drawn, with wonderful symbolical imagery (such as the white lotus in The High Lord of Gratitude and Service, the spiral on The Spiral Dancer, the owl in The Well Watcher, the energy coming from the wand in The Ringmaster of Scrutiny, the feathers in The Hawk Prince, the lion in The Desert Prince, the swan in The Wise Woman of Wonderland, and the snow white owl in The Ice Queen.

This is an empowering oracle, and one that can be used by individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

© September 2009