Review – The AlphaBet For Lovers

The AlphaBet For Lovers
Insights, advice, and prophecy about love and relationships,
According to the Hebrew alphabet.

Author: Orna Ben-Shoshan
Artist: Orna Ben-Shoshan
Independently Published
2012

“The AlphaBet For Lovers” is the latest project from Israeli artist/author Orna Ben-Shoshan. Based on the Hebrew alphabet, this 72 card deck provides insight, advice, and prophecies about love and relationships. It is a powerful tool for transformation, and joins other offerings from Ben-Shoshan, including the “King Solomon Oracle Cards”, the “Wheel of Wisdom”, the “72 Names” cards … all intended to be tools of personal guidance.

The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet are considered to be the cosmic DNA and the basic ingredients that constituted the creation of the universe. What better basis for examining ones relationships – what activates them, where any difficulties might be coming from, and how they may be resolved. The letters function as channels through which the power of the creator is realized in the material world. They are also important in that the enable our connection to universal energy.

The 72 cards and the accompanying 104 page interpretation booklet are packaged in a yellow sleeve-type box. The text is presented in both English and Hebrew, with the image of card number 7 (Gimel- Caring and Kindness) on the front cover.

The Interpretation Booklet briefly introduces the Tree of Life, its 32 paths, then addresses how the Hebrew alphabet is connected with our personal issues, how we can use it to analyze our personal (love) relationships, and how we can achieve personal growth through our relationships. There are suggested questions to ask, as well as tips on working with the cards. On receiving vague answers, Ben-Shoshan suggests that perhaps the question itself was not clear, or that at this moment you are not supposed to have the answer to that question.

Spreads presented include a one heart spread, for an immediate, focused answer, a two hearts spread (the first heart answers the question “What happens right now in my love life?” , while the second heart answers “What else should I know about the situation, and what can I expect for the future?”), a three hearts spread (the first heart answers the question :What happens in my relationship now?”, the second heart answers the question “What lesson should I learn about the subject in question?”, and the third heart answers the question “ What will happen in the future if I implement the lesson I have learned in my life?”), a four hearts spread (the first heart answers the question “What are the factors affecting my relationship at present?”, the second heart answers the question “What do I really want, what is my purpose, and where do I want to go?”, the third heart answers the question “What is the nature of the person I am involved with?” For singles this question is “What is the nature of the person I am going to meet?”, the fourth heart answers the question “What should I expect? Which way will the situation develop in the future?”), and a three card Past/Present/Future spread.

Ben-Shoshan has also included a table with the English pronunciation of the Hebrew letters, and the corresponding related answers in the booklet.

Also addressed are the areas of personal compatibility, questions of timing, Yes/No questions, reading for other people, and refreshing(clearing) the hearts.

The cards are presented in text only, no images. The Hebrew letter is listed in text and by image, followed by keywords for the card. There is a section describing the energy of the card, an interpretation for singles, a on section on personality, and one on advice.

The cards themselves are heart shaped, and come in a beautiful decorative bag. The front of the card holds the imagery, with the card number on the bottom of the card. The card backs show the card number, the Hebrew letter in text and image, and the keywords for the card.

Some of my favorite cards include:

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64 – Resh – Opening new channels

17 – Vav – Restoring integrity and openness

72 – The Crazy Heart – luck in love

15 – He – A relationship with a dominant individual

4 – Beit – Warm and stable home

12 – Dalet – The importance of expressing your needs

The first thing that I did with this deck was a compatibility reading. I have to say – it was spot on! The artwork is gentle and minimalist … easily interpreted by people from different backgrounds and cultures. For those who read about relationships for their clientele, or for those who want personal growth through understanding their own relationship, this is an excellent book!

The cards can be purchased here: http://www.kabbalahinsights.com/en/ .

© October 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

The Wheel of Wisdom

The Wheel of Wisdom

Author: Orna Ben-Shoshan
Artist: Orna Ben-Shoshan
Kabbalah Insights
2011

“There is something that you need to know  in order to understand your present
situation, something that you need to hear before making a decision or taking the
next step, and the outcome you are curious about.”
from the Interpretation Book

“The Wheel of Wisdom” is an oracle wheel (literally) that combines two wisdom systems – the front side of the wheel is inspired by ancient karma scripts, while the reverse side of the wheel contains 36 different Angels’ Advice. The front side of the wheel is comprised of 96 answers that give clear forecasts in how things are going to evolve in the Seeker’s life. The back side of the wheel is meant to provide an additional viewpoint on the question being asked, and additional guidance.

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Ben-Shoshan places an emphasis on two things: that we all already have all the answers that we will ever need within us, and that as Seekers we need to approach any oracle with the utmost respect. The Wheel of Wisdom is meant to help the Seeker to connect with the Seeker’s source of inner wisdom, and to bring them the answers that they need at any particular time. Basically, we seek wisdom when we are at a crossroads and need answers on how to proceed. Ben-Shoshan tells us that if the answer we receive is in any way positive, that what we are asking about will come true/succeed. She also note that sometimes we will be advised to abandon an issue whose time has not yet come, or that may simply be too problematic.

She advises the Seeker to quiet the chatter in their mind through the use of relaxation techniques before they approach the oracle, so that the question/issue being addressed can be concentrated on. In cases where a vague or seemingly irrelevant is received, two things are advised: to take the essence of the answer and apply it to the area of your life that your question referred to, or to accept that sometimes we are not meant to know the answers to some questions.  There is also a caveat that the “Wheel of Wisdom” was designed primarily for self-reading. If you are reading for someone else, rephrase the question to a third-person format (he/she instead of you), and visualize them as strongly as you can when asking the question.

This oracle can be used in two ways – to address your question to the Sun Mandala (front side), interpret this answer, and then turn the wheel over to see the angelic response, or to address your question directly to the angelic side. Either way works very well. I found the readings that I did to be very insightful, and very “to the point”. I also came upon a situation that is not addressed in the Interpretation book – What do you do when you land between numbers? My solution was to read the advice for both numbers – that seemed to be the right thing to do. Both responses did apply directly to my situation. What I found is that when this happens on one side of the card, it also happens on the other side. As my sister would say “Deal with it!”.

The Interpretation Book gives interpretations for both sides of the wheel, text only (no imagery). From the book:

“Interpretations – front – the Sun Mandala

9 – What is blocking your way is an important vow from the past that you haven’t fulfilled yet, either for yourself or for someone else. You must take care of unfinished business, and when you arrive to a conclusion point, nre horions will open, and a new and joyful cycle in your life will begin.

23 – Rumors about you circulating and causing you to grief. The person who started them seeks to blemish you and does not seek your favor. Beware of him or her and do not volunteer any information. Alternately – If you’ve heard dreadful predictions about something – it’s better to examine the matter thoroughly and not to be drawn into despair.

93 – The time has come! Get out of your impassivity and wake up! You have been given a chance to start something new that will advance you to a better phase. Do not overlook the hints and proposals offered to you – go for it and see great success.

Angels’ Advice

1 – Follow your heart. Your gut feelings are correct / Be open to a loved one’s good advice.

20 – Importand decisions will be made solely through discussion with another person / enter negatiations with an open mind, understand the other side, their motivation and their wishes / don’t show all of your cards to your opponent – keep some information to yourself.

36 – In this situation you aren’t able to progress on your own – turn to an outside source for help / asking and praying / embrace the support that arrives.”

The box that the wheel arrived in was a bit flimsy. However, it was packed so well (including the wheel inside being place between two pieces of strong cardboard, that all was well. I like the little tuck piece on the top flap – it allows the flap to close more securely. The front wheel (9″ diameter) is slightly smaller than the back wheel (9 3/8″ diameter), which makes for easy movement. The back wheel consists of concentric circles of color – fromt he outside in, we see a pale green border, followed by circles of lavender, beige, light brown, blue and peach. Each of the circles, aside from the border, contains imagery. There is a small window cut out to see the number in.

The  front of the wheel, the Sun Mandala, has deeper colors. There is a light blue border, followed by a medium blue circle with gold imagery, then a wider circle with scenes, followed by a light green circle with imagery, then a  dark blue circle with stars and planets on it, followed by a gold circle with Hebrew letters, followed by a dark blue circle with no imagery, then a light blue circle with imagery of the sun. There is a cutout to see the numbers through.

Although the Seeker would need to refer to the text interpretations for the advice, I found this to be worthwhile. The advice given was on target, and worth the effort. As you can see from the interpretations that I shared above, this is an oracle that will make the Seeker think. If you are interested in reading more about the oracle, go to http://www.kabbalahinsights.com/. This is Orna Ben-Shoshan’s site, where several different kabbalistic oracle tools are offered, and where they can be purchased.

(c) April 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

King Solomon Oracle Cards

King Solomon Oracle Cards

Author: Itzhak Mizrahi
Artist: Orna Ben-Shoshan
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
2011
ISBN #978-1-57281-666-4

The “King Solomon Oracle Cards” is a thirty-six card oracle deck, with four extra cards, entitled amulet cards, that are not intended to be used in readings. The four amulet cards are meant to be used as such – as personal, sacred amulets. They may be kept at home, or carried with the Seeker. They are written in Angel’s Writing and ancient Goatic symbols by the author, kabbalist Itzhak Mizrahi. They influence every aspect of the bearers life, as long as they are kept in their possession. According to Mizrahi, their effect will be felt after about 21 days. After 40 days, their sacred power will be quite noticeable. The instructions are to write your name, and your mother’s name, in the white space on the back of the card. The four life areas that the cards cover are Livelihood, Relationships, Health, and Security and Protection.

The cards themselves are meant to help the reader the significant situations and profound questions that life places in our path. They provide powerful insight into current situations and future outlooks. The lens of perception, or the focus of this deck is the wisdom of King Solomon. The magical signet ring that he received from the heavens inspired the seals that have become powerful symbols in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and are widely used in charms and talismans. The seals carry different frequencies that relate to different life situations and physical characteristics.

Each card contains several different types of symbols. There is a Solomon seal that looks like a stamp, some cards carry a Goatic symbol, which represents specific energetic traits, while other symbols are frameless text written in ancient script. The texts incorporate the “72 names of God” – kabbalistic names that represent unique strengths, and are in angel writing. The placement of the seals and text varies, according to the layout of the artwork.

The mystical symbols are meant to connect the Seeker spiritually to the essence of their inquiry. In other words – to the spiritual response to their inquiry. The deck was created to be used as a personal deck for daily use. Morning reading help prepare the Seeker for the day ahead.

In the section on reading the cards, there is very good advice about inhaling light and positive energy before doing a reading. The Seeker is advised to connect with the cards, and put their faith in the responses. It is highly recommended to read for a single question at a time. Interesting advice is given on drawing a single card, and having that card be either unclear or irrelevant. The Seeker is advised to stop he reading, because the situation the Seeker is inquiring about, or the day ahead, is unpredictable. The Seeker is advised to accept and embrace whatever comes their way.

Card meanings are given in text only (no images), and divided into three sections: (1) the situation, (2) the person you are inquiring about, and (3) advice on the action to take. From the LWB:

“32 – Timing – Taking Time

Situation: There’s plenty of time, no need to rush / progress depends on timing / time will work things out / things proceeding slowly / time is on your side.

Person: Someone who examines the situation thoroughly while taking all the time that is needed.

Advice: Proceed with patience / take the time to think things through and get it right / pace yourself.

Inverted: Time is working against you / you don’t have ample time / a rigorous schedule / act quickly to avoid missing your goal.”

At the end of the LWB three spreads are presented: a one card spread, a three card spread, and a four card spread. Note: The spreads as presented are read from right to left. It is noted that a clarification card can be drawn if a card seems vague or unclear. It is then placed over the ambiguous card.

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The cards are approximately 2 ¾” by 4 5/8”, of good quality cardstock. The backs are a light blue, with a seal in the center and background text in light gray/white. The card faces have a ¼” white border, with the card number in either the upper right hand and lower left hand corner, or the upper left hand and lower right hand corner. Each card contains a seal and text, placed according to the imagery in the card. The artwork is in basic colors, drawn in a very whimsical, uncomplicated manner.

In card number 8 (Unity/Partnership) the bodies of the figures are a clear gray/white, very ghost-like and can be seen through. In many of the cards the figures are floating through the air. Card number 30 (Devotion / Perseverance / Believing In Your Path / Sacrifice) the outer walls of the house are a yellow and green mystical checkerboard pattern. Card number 22 (Magical Influences / Spells / Evil Eye) shows the outline of the house in light gray/white. Card number 19 (Sexuality / Romance / Seduction / Intense Involvement) shows the outline of two figures – one in dark gray, one in lighter gray/white. Card number 11 (Flexibility / Leniency / Compromise / Tolerance / Forgiveness) shows three figures flying between two pillars. Cards number 10 (Growth / Development / Achievement / Discoveries), 24 (A Favorable Era / Positive Conditions) and 6 (Happiness) show figures with red outlines for heads. Card number 28 (Delays / Obstructions / Blocks) shows a seated figure wearing a fools cap, with a see-through white veil over his head and pinned to the earth at the four corners.

I found the artwork and imagery to be very magickal, drawing the Seeker into the picture. The readings that I have done for myself have been very appropriate and enlightening. The deck works for me in a very deep way. Seekers from all backgrounds would have no problem working with this deck.

© March 2011 Bonnie Cehovet