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Author Archives: Alanna Kali

About Alanna Kali

Alanna Kali is an astrologer, numerologist, and pioneer spirit that loves to explore life through the lens of depth psychology. She has a passion for studying the humanities and social trends. Her academic work is centered upon reuniting body, mind, and spirit through eco-psychology. She loves reading, spending time in nature, and travel.

Of the Lilin, by Paulette Hampton

Of the Lilin, by Paulette Hampton 
Independently Published, 0615964567, 360 pages, 2021

Oh, the doldrums of coming of age, I’m sure it’s something we all remember *not* so fondly. At least we didn’t have to grapple with supernatural powers, as does protagonist Sage, in Paulette Hampton’s Of the Lilin. This is the first book in The Sage Chronicle series, and I am already eagerly awaiting the next one!

I finished this book within two days because I could hardly put it down. To be honest, the very start of the book caught me off-guard, and I was a bit hesitant to go onward because it is just so dang depressing. After losing her mother, Sage is left in the care of her step-father, who has a mental breakdown after the sudden death of his best friend, who Sage had a romantic involvement with, to further confound the sense of loss. Luckily, her aunt is able to take her in and guide her through the trauma and pain she’s experiencing.

Aunt Madeline is an inn owner, and there are plenty of interesting characters involved in the day-to-day running of the inn. There is Allen, the inn’s chef, as well as a Michelin Star chef named Cameron, who runs Aunt Madeline’s restaurant in town. Then there’s Sage’s cousin, Lily, who leads a high-flying life traveling the world with her fancy job. Additionally, there’s Sage’s best friend, Will, and chef Cameron’s son, Thomas, who also adds to the group dynamic.

Sage is doing her best to cope with the grief and depression that has overcome her; she’s even following Aunt Madeline’s suggestion to see a therapist, but weird things keep happening. She keeps snapping into what feels like a dream where she loses control of her actions and then can’t remember what occurred. She also witnesses scenes that don’t make sense to her, and notices people’s eyes turning black with no soul. When the prescription drugs aren’t enough to end the episodes, cousin Lily steps in to enlighten, or rather endarken, Sage as to what’s going on.

Hidden family secrets reveal that Sage processes powers beyond her own control, but Lily has reported what’s happening to her friend Lucien, who intends to help Sage fulfill her destiny. Lucien – handsome, suave, and elegant – seems to naturally hold sway over people. There’s a darkness underneath his cool exterior, and many who know him wish for him to be gone when he’s at the inn. However, he’s taken an interest in Sage, and he has a duty to ensure she’s set on the right path.

I don’t want to reveal too much of the story, but I will say I honestly loved it. I thought the plot moved at just the right pace, and I was kept engaged the entire time. The reader gets to participate in Sage’s coming-of-age experience, even though it’s easy to see something is going on from an outside perspective before she realizes what is truly happening. And this is probably because the reality of the supernatural power she possesses is not something that would have ever crossed her mind.

Hampton does a wonderful job of creating cohesion among the characters. There’s enough main characters to keep the plot interesting and filled with different perspectives, but there’s not too many that the story feels scattered. Watching how all the relationships unfold and the connections between each person emerge kept my attention as I was reading.

I enjoyed that there was a mythological component to the story as well. Sage’s best friend, Will, has promised to make her a custom ring, so she’s been browsing a book of symbols in the inn’s library. Thomas, son of the beloved and revered chef Cameron, is extremely into mythological studies and trying to get ahead on courses he plans on taking. When Sage notices a symbol on Lucien’s ring, Thomas graciously keeps searching through the book until he finds it. They realize the symbol is the Triangle of Solomon and it is used to command demons.

More and more signs appear that indicate something bigger is happening, but Sage herself is at a loss as to what it could be and often doubts her point of view. I could relate to her as a protagonist because I do believe it’s hard for those with heightened psychic sensitivity to know what’s happening to them, and unfortunately, in our society many intuitive people are diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression. Weaving in mental health to the story made it very modern and absorbing. I’m sure many young adults can relate.

This book really does a wonderful job grappling with the notion of light and darkness, and how they both reside within us. It may be harder than it seems to truly draw the line between human and demon, especially with guidance on how to quell the shadow nature and let one’s light shine. Hampton merges concepts of calming, centering energy that can snap one out of the darkness to make for a gripping narrative.

Plus, the ending was absolutely perfect and literally left me with my mouth hanging open like “NO WAY!” that did not just happen. Many of the pieces all start fitting together in rapid succession in the last quarter of the book, and the culmination of events in this book of the series certainly left me wondering what would happen next.

I highly recommend Of the Lilin to readers that enjoy supernatural fantasy, particularly with a dark element. As already mentioned, this book covers mental health topics, demonic entities, and there’s quite a bit of death as well, if only the lingering effects of grief. However, it is also firmly set in a mundane world with relatable characters, human motivations, and budding emotional ties that are sure to continue developing – the perfect mixture of humanity with divinity, good with evil, and indulgence with sacrifice. If anything, it will certainly make you think twice before making deals with demons, though they might be disguised as angels.

A Spell in the Forest, by Roselle Angwin

A Spell in the Forest: Book 1 – Tongues in Trees, by Roselle Angwin
Moon Books, 1789046300, 288 pages, July 2021

Through and through I believe in awakening our connection to nature through intentional relationship, creativity, and mindfulness. A Spell in the Forest: Book 1 – Tongues in Trees by Roselle Angwin is a beautiful synthesis of all those things, drawing the reader into an ethos of tree wisdom and healing. Angwin also teaches the reader about the Ogham alphabet calendar and how to track the year through the wisdom of trees. Reading this book was a true pleasure that made me excited for my next trip to the forest, as well as interested in how my initiation into working with the Ogham calendar this month will go.

Even though I do not get to indulge in forest time daily, being out in nature is a very important part of my lifestyle. I even went on to get a master’s degree in environmental humanities, intending to further educate myself on the relationship between humans and nature. Trees have always been an ally to me, watching their branches sway, feeling their mighty presence, noticing the many animals that depend on them for sustenance and shelter.

I was delighted to see that Angwin shared my passion for nature, along with philosophy on the need for people to reconnect with the wisdom of trees (albeit remorseful about the calling stemming from horrendous ecological destruction currently occurring). In the introduction, Angwin acknowledges the current crisis that has stemmed from viewing trees as a resource, fostered by the modern Western consciousness that is greatly disconnected from the natural world. She praises the trees, acknowledging their gifts to the environment, healing powers, and spiritual attributes.

“In the moment when we pay attention to the being of the tree, we are also opening a channel for a reciprocal relationship between human and tree. Our job is to be awake to all this: to practise the art of tuning-in to these general and specific qualities; to try and be aware of the exchange of prana and the interrelationship of consciousness.”1

I feel like I experience this interconnection every time I step outside, and I know exactly what she’s describing. And to be honest, never have I felt so transported when reading a book. I truly felt like I was walking through the woods of Britain as I read Angwin’s vivid description of her experiences.

Part I Forest is a brilliant reflection on what she’s learned from trees, mixed in with creative musings that have sprung from her time in the forest.  Blending her memories of times in the woods with her current yearning to connect and heal through her relationship with the trees, her poetry brings to life both mythic and mystic sensations.

“But there are always two forests. And I don’t mean ‘Paimpont’ and ‘Huelgoat’. One is the physical wood and forest we encounter — or don’t, but know they exist — ‘out there’. The other is the abiding forest of our imagination: a pristine (because unaltered – and unalterable – by humans) wildwood; the one we encounter in myths, legends, fairy stories.”2

Angwin describes how much of human’s learning has come through trees. She notes the many mythologies that feature the Tree of Life in cultures around the world, where trees are entry points into different realms of consciousness. Some examples are the Buddha who attained enlightenment by sitting under the Bodi tree or the World Tree in Norse mythology.

My favorite part of the book is near the end of Part I where Angwin discusses the Ogham alphabet, which supposedly was a method for initiating Druids to memorize wisdom teaching and the sun-god Ogma created it by watching the flight of cranes. The crane was a sacred bird to the Druids and “the letters were ‘written upon the sky’ not only by the birds’ wings and legs, but also from their flight patterns and the way they changed when the tired lead bird swapped with another.”3 Like how cool is that?

However, not only is the Ogham an alphabet, it is also a calendar, which marks the different times of the year. Angwin continues to provide more information on the Ogham from the standpoint of it as a calendar. She details the possible connection to a moon-goddess, linking the Ogham to lunar time.

Then Angwin delves into why she chose the thirteen Ogham that she did for this book, based primarily on the work of Robert Graves, although she makes substitutions that resonate based on her personal experience. I really appreciate the way Angwin thoroughly details her choices and thought process throughout the book, making it easy to understand her perception, while also acknowledging it is a multi-faceted topic that has spanned centuries so obviously there’s different points of view.

Part II Tongues in Trees: The Tree Months moves into exploring the thirteen sacred Celtic trees month by month. To begin, Angwin explains “The Song of Amergin,” which is a “spell-like sacred incantation with profound ecological, shamanic and shapeshifting resonances.”4 She created her own version, providing a poetic line for each month, describing an aspect of the tree’s wisdom or its mythological significance.

I was quite delighted to find I was reading the book just as the season transitioned from Hawthorn (May 13th- June 9th) to Oak (June 10th-July 7th). This gave me the opportunity to start my explorations with Oak and then proceed with the rest of the year.

For every tree month, Angwin first provides the genus/species, dates, key words, and line of poetry. Then she delves into very thorough descriptions of the trees’ history, habits, gifts it provides, mythology, symbolism, associations of the tree (ex. Oak Tree has an association with a story in Genesis), Celtic mysteries of the tree, and honestly, so much more!

As far as books about the Oghams go, this one provides the  most background information, well-researched and thoroughly woven together by poetic creativity and detailed historical information. I appreciate this approach immensely because it blends the history, science, mythology, and spirituality of each tree to provide a holistic perspective. It’s a multi-layered approach that is really impactful in creating a connection with the trees.

The final section, Part III Practical, has been a great resource for beginning my journey of connecting with the Oak tree during this month. Angwin offers ideas on how to establish these relationships and begin to map the year through the Ogham calendar. From finding the tree in your own ecosystem (if possible) to sitting with it and meditating, a template for establishing these relationships is created.

Angwin also puts out a call to save the trees, which are rapidly being depleted through foresting, impacting global climate temperatures, by becoming stewards for the trees. Options such as replanting trees, growing your own food, and lobbying are all suggestions she makes to be an active agent on behalf of the trees’ well-being, along with many other useful suggestions. I immensely appreciate her dedication to preserving the natural woodlands, and it made me realize there’s more I could be doing within my own community.

All in all, A Spell in the Forest, is a true gem filled with the essence of trees. This is almost embarrassing to admit, but even just holding the book seems to create an opening with  my heart to the trees. I have hardly wanted to put the book down because it’s so grounding and packed with information. I will certainly be reading it time and time again, as I make my way through the year in accordance with the Ogham alphabet calendar.

I highly recommend this book to those who are seeking more information on the Celtic tradition, particularly the Ogham, or those who simply value the wisdom and sacred nature of trees. I truly believe that by reuniting with nature, on all levels, as this book helps one to do, healing will begin to occur. In the meanwhile, I agree with Angwin that it is essential for us to protect the wildness of the forest, both physical and symbolically. A Spell in the Forest is a wonderful place to begin. I very much am looking forward to the next book in this series!

Sacred Geometry, by Richard Heath

Sacred Geometry: Language of the Angels, by Richard Heath
Inner Traditions, 1644111187, 288 pages, January 2021

There are countless stories of aliens gifting humans with higher intelligence, changing the course of human history (we’ve’ all seen an episode or two of Ancient Aliens), but angels? In his book Sacred Geometry: Language of the Angels, Richard Heath puts forth the idea that perfect radios numerical relations are what lead to megalith buildings that encapsulate the divine wisdom of a harmonic creator.

“Angels have the role of bringing about the manifest universe through their direct imagination of ratios and geometries. Once the megalith builders, in their astronomical journey, started using (a) alignments to the Sun and Moon, (b) the counting of days in longer cycles, and (c) the comparison of results within geometrical forms, humans developed minds similar to but different from those of angels.”1

Richard Heath is a well-established author on this topic, and some of his previous books include Sacred Number and the Origin of Civilization (2006) and The Harmonic Origins of the World (2018), which I also reviewed here. He writes about and believes that numbers are the origin of human’s religious cosmologies and that these sacred proportions were shared with humans by a higher intelligence, in this case what he describes as angels.

The heart of Heath’s theories in Part One: The Universal Will is that geometry draws on rational measures of the world externally, but there are also ratios that bring order to life, not simply the numbers themselves. Within these divine proportions, the great connection to the sphere of planets occurs. By drawing on the ancient systems of measurement, along with reconstructing their musical tuning theories, larger patterns reveal themselves.

Heath delves into sacred sites to show these proportions, as well as demonstrate the connection between geometry and planetary movements. He begins by explaining different triangles and their symbolism, and then he explains the squaring of circles in monuments such as The Great Pyramid of Giza and Stonehenge. Also explored in this section are Sanchi Great Stupa and the Hagia Sophia.

Part Two: The Cosmic Individuality explores made me recall a lot of information from his previous book The Harmonic Origins of the World, but added lots of new information still. I really found it fascinating to reflect on Pythagoras’s development of a cosmological theory based on numerical tuning, which included Tetractys, or pyramidal arrays of numbers  which create octaves.

I do hope I am explaining this correctly, as even writing the review is a process of synthesizing the material for me! To be honest, I am not going to pretend like I fully understand the concept, as there’s a lot packed in here, but it got my mind thinking about the relationship between ratios in sound and the physical world.

“The inner story of the power of the octave to provide a unified God and creation provided the outer story of the Bible. And its inner numerical metaphor of numbers preserved an inner doctrine of astronomical harmony surrounding the Earth.”2

Pondering a relationship between musical cosmology, the movement of the moon and outer planets, and sacred geometry is truly mind-blowing to me as an astrologer. As Heath explains, megalithic astronomers used measurements based on horizon events, such as sunrise, sunset, and eclipses.3 Using this method to establish what he named a Lunation Triangle, the synod of Jupiter can be measured.

The cycles of Jupiter allowed for a ratio to develop, which revealed a harmonic ratio between the Jupiter synod and lunar year. There is also a ratio of the Saturn synod, which when looked at in conjunction with the synod of Jupiter, plays a role in the story of Jesus and how his symbolism happened through the “planetary world of time and its harmony.”4

As the book progresses, Heath spends immense time on elucidating the sacred geometry of Glastonbury, along with Islam. It was fascinating to read about the harmonic codes of the Kaaba. He even delves into the development of egoism, and how this too is a part of planetary harmony.

I realize by now your head may be spinning, as not only is the math complex (I doubt I will ever understand Heath’s calculations), but there’s also an assertion of higher intelligence in the world which links religious symbolism, great buildings, and music all through the sacred power of geometry. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s truly a fascinating topic that I am happy to have explored in this book.

I like how the manifestation of religion and other facets of society can be explained through the underlying principles of planetary harmonic resonance, numbers, and geometry. It brings a whole new dimension to our existence. And while it may not seem like a spiritual view point, I have truly found embracing this information to be paradigm shifting for my own journey.

Reading this book has made me grapple with concepts such as the influence of planets on human events, the true nature of the universe, and the magnificent, though forgotten, geometry behind sacred sites. I will admit it took me well over a month to make my way through this book, and oftentimes I had to reread a section multiple times, wondering if I was truly comprehending it. However, it has been a worthwhile pursuit that I’m happy to have made my way through.

My only complaint is that at times, it feels like the numbers are supposed to speak for the information in the book, and I think a little bit more discussion would have helped me to understand the context of the calculations a bit better. Like I see the math, but I don’t know how to translate it or jump to the conclusion that Heath has reached. If there was a bit more detail about how the information was extrapolated from the math, I might have had an easier time following along.

I can also say I am grateful to have read Heath’s prior books as well before diving into this one. I had a greater understanding of the general concepts he was presenting, and I am not sure it would be so easy to dive into this book first. For this reason, I recommend it to people who have prior exposure to Heath’s work or are very comfortable with detailed mathematical calculations.

All in all, Sacred Geometry frames the foundation of the universe, physical building, and human life in an entirely new way. By focusing on the mathematics of that time, rather than the abstracted forms used now, a new perspective emerges. I am open to the possibility of a higher intelligence imparting the template for humanity to grow, and I enjoyed how this book pushed the boundaries of what’s commonly accepted in many fields, from religion to science to math.

Pagan Portals – Iris, by Irisanya Moon

Pagan Portals – Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Godds, by Irisanya Moon
Moon Books, 1789047110, 96 pages, July 2021

When was the last time you saw a rainbow? Seeing one is always such a miraculous gift to me. It feels so spiritual, like a harbinger of blessings. Moments after seeing a rainbow about a month ago, I discovered the book Pagan Portals – Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Godds by Irisanya Moon. As Moon describes, “She [Iris] offers magick in the way rainbows form, seemingly from nothing, but truly from the perfect alignment of conditions.”1 With this synchronicity, it was as though the rainbow was calling me to delve into this book.

Moon introduces herself to the reader and gives a bit of background on her experience with Iris, who she connected with to include as part of her magical name. I especially enjoyed reading about her experience with Reclaiming on her path, as all the Reclaiming workshops I’ve attended have been some of the greatest portals to magic!

To start with, Moon provides quite a few stories of Iris to assist the reader with getting acquainted with her mythology. Reading stories of Iris delivering messages for Hera and Zues was interesting, along with realizing she was the messenger sent to Demeter to coax her out of grief at the loss of her daughter Perspehone. I also learned Iris is the consort of Zephyrus, god of the west winds — so cool!

After reading the stories of Iris in mythology and hearing Moon’s thoughts, I really resonated with her view that Iris can teach us about being of service without being in servitude. For any person who feels calls to share their gifts, Iris’s story is a wonderful reminder of the need for personal self-care as well. Moon encourages the practice of self-service alongside serving deities and one’s communities, and relates the story of Iris to the need for this. As she writes, “A tired and burnt out priestess is not a very effective servant, after all.”2

The main bulk of the book is Moon’s magical practice called Traveling the Rainbow. She guides the reader through all the colors of the rainbow, offering exercises to connect with each energy. For instance, doing mirror work with the color orange and water gazing for the color blue. Working the way through the rainbow proved to be quite insightful. I really enjoyed making a collage for yellow and a meditative journey for indigo.

Towards the end, Moon offers ideas on how to do a ritual to honor or petition Iris. There’s an absolutely beautiful devotional poem that Moon has written to Iris that made my heart melt. It is so well written, while also emotionally evoking. She also offers quite a few ways one can create a relationship with Iris through options such as altar building, artwork, journaling, and meditation.

Moon calls readers to be intentional in their work with Iris, and to be honest, gives more background than any book I’ve ever read about the process of choosing to work with a deity and focusing attention on that relationship. She is very honest in her approach to deity work, acknowledging there’s different reasons people choose to work with a particular deity, from being called to building a long-term relationship, while some might just want to create a connection for a specific purpose. It was helpful to read her thoughts, tips, and techniques, and regardless if one plans on connecting with Iris, one would surely benefit from her insight about relationships with deities.

While I have not formally created a relationship with Iris, this book was immensely helpful in learning more about her, her role in mythology, and her special energy. I really enjoyed being immersed in the feeling of rainbows while reading, and within I felt a multitude of colors illuminating my creativity through artwork and time spent in nature. I also did a lot of reflection on the similarities and differences between Iris and Hermes, my patron deity, as they are both messengers that have the ability to move freely through all realms.

I recommend Iris to those hoping to learn more about her mythology, wishing to connect with the goddess of the rainbow, or even establish a relationship with her as a deity. Moon has done a great job of piecing together her story and sharing her method of connection with Iris. As already mentioned, the wisdom of Moon’s work with deity is very insightful and sure to be beneficial to any reading looking to petition or dedicating themselves to a godd. Next time I see a rainbow, I certainly will be wondering what messages Iris is delivering and pause for a moment to give her my praise.

Witch Please, by Ann Aguirre

Witch Please: A Charming Small-Town Paranormal Romantic Comedy, by Ann Aguirre
Sourcebooks Casablanca, 1728240166, 368 pages, September 2021

A sexy, funny, romantic tale of witchcraft? Witch Please, I just can’t get enough. Ann Aguirre has immensely brightened up my life with this book, which I just found hilarious. I will admit, it’s more of a romantic comedy with a backdrop of witchcraft than a supernatural tale, but regardless, it’s just what I needed for a light, entertaining read.

The premise is that main character Danica Waterhouse, a technomancer, is living her life, filled with the ups and downs of adulthood. While she has a successful fix-it business with her cousin Clem, she’s also still coping with ill feelings towards her former partner, who after years of “not wanting anything too serious” broke it off with her and was engaged in just a few months.

When the handsome baker in town, Titus Winnaker, also known as CinnaMan to her concern for his delectable buns, ahem, both in the bakery and in real life, if you catch my drift, needs repairs to his oven, Danica’s life changes forever. On his end, there’s instant attraction and he’s basically sure she’s the one from the first time they meet.

Danica too feels the attraction and literal sparks are flying as her magic goes haywire, but there’s family concerns that keep her from opening up to this love. Her mother chose to marry a mundane person, and as a result lost all of her magical power. This is not what Danica wanted for her life, and the path of no longer having her magic was certainly not how she intended to go.

Raised by her grandmother, who persistently badgers Danica to explore Binder (Tinder for witches) in order to find a mate and keep their bloodline pure, she has always considered mundane men off limits. Plus, after her last heartbreak, she made a pact with cousin Clem to stay single for life. With the love of her coven and her magic, she thought that would be enough to sustain her.

After just a few dates and some steamy moments with Titus, it’s clear the attraction isn’t dissipating. Even her spellwork can’t ward off this building attraction. Then to make this worse, her magic malfunctions have drawn a witch hunter to town. Now there’s just one more element in the mix adding to why she needs to break it off with Titus.

It’s nearly impossible not to adore Titus. He’s pretty much the perfect guy: sexy, romantic, reflective, and emotionally attuned to all of Danica’s needs. There’s a reason many of the women in town pop in to Sugar Daddy’s that goes beyond his irresistible pastries. However, Titus also has family problems going on that keep him preoccupied.

After his mother’s death, his father quickly remarried and moved to another state, leaving behind his grown children to essentially start a new life. Titus and sister Maya feel hurt at their father’s lack of a grieving process and are having a hard time accepting his new life. It doesn’t help to find out their new stepmother is expecting, further creating a rift between them and their father.

Needless to say, there’s enough going on in the book to make for a very captivating read. I especially love the way Aguirre wrote the book so that it alternates between Danica and Titus in narration. The internal dialogue of the characters is hilarious and really gives insight into their perceptions, intentions, and self-awareness. All the characters are relatable, and I liked each one very much. The context of the book is all very up-to-date, such as them watching Netflix and using modern slang.

This is also a fun read because of all the steamy parts. Phew! It got quite sensual and erotic. There were chapters where I was seeking out my husband like “Hello!” to relieve some of the steam 😉 So, for those of you who like the passionate, sultry moments as well, this is definitely a great read for that. It certainly added some spice to my life and got the juices flowing.

The only downside worth mentioning is that there were a few parts it felt like it was dragging on. While I was engaged the entire time, the pace isn’t the quickest. Keep in mind, the setting is a small Midwestern town where there’s not too much action. Even the witch hunter coming to town seemed to fizzle out into a very anti-climatic solution that honestly confused me greatly.

It was fun reading about Danica’s coven, but it seemed more like a book club, which is their ruse to keep it secret, than a coven to be honest. The women are more engaged in town gossip and venting about life than doing magic. Granted, each person had their own magical powers, but it seemed like mostly the vivamancers just tended to plant more than group spells. It is for this reason I think it’s more a fun, entertaining read than one really focusing on the reality of being a witch.

Also, all of this book is based on the idea of witchcraft being passed down secretly through bloodline, while Paganism, New Age, etc. are not real things and can be used merely as cover-ups so others don’t ask too many questions. I don’t find this offense in any way, but to some who are very prideful of their craft, it may feel like a slight, though it’s only fiction!

Overall, I really enjoyed Witch Please. It was hilarious, heartfelt, and a really fun premise for a book. By the end, it wove together in a really unique way that brought it all together and left me fulfilled. It also made me really want to go bake something with all the descriptions of eating sweets — mmm!!! I recommend this book to those wanting an easy, lighthearted read filled with romance, magic, and mishaps that make for a wonderful story. I’m sure it will have you chuckling and rooting for love along the way.

Uncommon Tarot, by Shaheen Miro

Uncommon Tarot, by Shaheen Miro
Weiser Books, 1578637147, 64 pages, 78 cards, October 2020

I absolutely love when artists put a new twist on the classical tarot, which is just what Shaheen Miro has done with the deck The Uncommon Tarot. This mixed-media deck is filled with surprises that gently push on the boundaries of the traditional tarot cards. The imagery gently invites the reader to reimagining the tarot, as this deck has infused it visually with the symbols of diverse cultures and spiritual traditions, inviting in new wisdom to the cards.

The box this deck comes in is a lovely design. I appreciate when a creator uses a different design than a standard box where the lid separates from the bottom. The Uncommon Tarot folds open and has a magnet to keep it secure. It is small, but sturdy, and the box fits neatly within my collection of decks and ensures the cards will not start to fade in time, as happens with decks without a good box. It also has a yellow ribbon to gently guide the cards out of the deck and prevent them from getting stuck. Absolutely marvelous packaging!

It’s no wonder the box is so well designed, as the cards themselves are truly masterpieces. The cards all have an ethereal feeling to them that transcend the bounds of time and space. Some seem to have themes of Renaissance art, while others bring to mind Surrealist imagery. Interspersed is Native American, Asian, Indian, and African people and, sometimes, animals to depict the energy of the card.

My favorite card in the deck is Strength. It has a classically painted woman looking over a relaxed, life-like looking lion. The lion is crowned with a green infinity symbol. In the background is a mixture of sunflowers and painted leaves. There is a serene energy to the card. I love how the sunflowers and yellow hues remind me of the card’s correspondence to the Sun, while the green infinity symbol reminds me of the connection to the heart. While my words may not do the imagery justice, it’s as though my unconscious mind picked up on all these subtle visual cues to feel the meaning of the card within my soul.

What strikes me the most is how even though re-envisioned, every card seems to still perfectly encapsulate the energy of the traditional tarot card description. It’s as though the cards have been enhanced and are now  more revelatory because of the added element of subtle fluency and dynamic expression. Here the energy of the tarot is no longer locked into the traditional deck, and the deck comes alive through its ability to truly express the energy it’s always wanted to.

You can look at cards and still see intuitively the meaning. The minor arcana still includes the image of wands, pentacles, swords, and cups for every card, and the major arcana images still capture the essence. There’s also the name of the card at the bottom. A few names have been changed, such as the “Fool” being renamed “Wander” and “Temperance” renamed “Alchemist.” Once again though these revisions seem to magnify the energy of the card, distilling the past bias and stripping away what is excess to merge with the liminal energy of the deck between the physical and spiritual world.

There’s more emphasis on the artwork speaking for itself to guide readers to discern the information coming forth than relying on the guidebook for information. The guidebook is only a short 64 pages. For every card there is a corresponding question, keywords, general theme, and reversal information. There’s no guidance on how to do a spread, just a suggestion about how to acquaint oneself with the deck and an invitation to be creative. There’s a brief explanation of elemental energy and the meaning of numbers. And that’s about all!

One could skim through the whole guide book in about fifteen minutes. But in no way do I feel like this diminishes the deck. In fact, I feel this would still be a wonderful deck for expert or novice tarot readers because it offers the ability to reconnect with one’s intuition. Rather than offering explicit meanings, these cards leave room for there to be understanding within without it need to be clearly stated. Seeing these cards is enough to prompt your intuition and send the answers you seek through your entire being. There’s no need to run back to the words to seek the validation of what you’ve uncovered, though if you want a bit of illuminate there’s enough in the guidebook to put your mind on the right track.

While the artistry wonderfully captures the energy of the standard 78 cards in the tarot, it also infuses new layers of meaning that have really assisted my readings. I have found this deck awakens the imagination, and the visual cues of the collage-like imagery draw forth intuitive information that I may not have otherwise picked up on. This happened just this morning actually in a reading with my querent when Six of Swords was drawn.

The traditional Six of Swords tarot card has an image of a hooded figure being rowed away from shore with the swords at the front of the boat. In The Uncommon Tarot, the imagery is of a yellow butterfly soaring over the top of six swords, highlighted by blue, green, and yellow background shading, looking absolutely radiant. The moment my querent saw it, she immediately intuited the meaning of this card to represent a transition from being her cocoon to emerging to be the butterfly.

It was remarkable to see her so quickly discern the energy of the card from the artwork, and her vivid excitement about it let me know that it deeply resonated. I always appreciate when the imagery on the card speaks to my querent and infuses them with the energy of the reading beyond the words I may be saying; this is what makes for the readings people remember for a long time.

For those who are collectors, The Uncommon Tarot is definitely a deck to add to one’s collection. The title aptly describes it’s uniqueness with the magnificent artistry makes it stand out among other decks. This inclusive tarot deck successfully draws upon the ancient tradition of tarot and infuses it with a modern imagination. I highly recommend this deck to anyone looking to add a bit more fluidity to their reading, as it invites the energy to flow through the imagery and guide you to new levels of awareness.

Spells Trouble, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Spells Trouble: Sisters of Salem, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Wednesday Books, 1250765633, 320 pages, May 2021

As a millennial who grew up watching Double Double Toil and Trouble, there will always be a place in my heart for twin witches. I mean, come on, there’s just something so downright spooky about the psychic connection they share. Well, I’m happy to say that P.C. Cast and daughter Kirstin Cast are back at again with their latest book Spells Trouble: Sisters of Salem, which if you haven’t figured out by now focuses on TWIN witches, Hunter and Mercy Goode. And it’s certainly double the fun!

I will confess, P.C. Cast is one of my favorite authors because she just gets what it means to be a witch and brings to life the most authentic characters in fantasy-filled books that always keep eagerly page-turning. My favorite is P.C.’s Goddess Summoning series, which I always recommend to all my magickal friends for entertaining reading, along with Eternal: More Love Stories with Bite, which she edited. I can’t recommend literally anything she’s written highly enough.

This isn’t the first time this mother-daughter duo has teamed up. Their most well-known series is probably House of Night, which was immensely popular and had many off-shoot series, and they have also authored The Dysasters. Luckily, Spells Trouble is only the first in this latest series, and the next book Omens Bite is expected out in 2022! It filled me with happiness knowing there’s already another book to look forward to next year. Oh yes, which brings me back to the review!

So, essentially Mercy and Hunter Goode come from a long line of witches who guard the five portals to the Underworld in their small, Midwestern town. There’s a special tree for each of the gates, representative of the Underworld it’s guarding (for instance Egyptian, Greek). It is their sacred duty to maintain the gates in order to keep the monsters contained in the Underworld.

However, on the eve of their 16th birthday, when they are dedicating themselves to their chosen god/goddess, all hell breaks loose, literally. Without warning, the twins are thrust into a life or death situation, suddenly finding themselves alone and with little guidance on how to fortify the gates and ensure an incident doesn’t happen again.

As if that’s not enough to deal with, murders start happening around town. Quickly, it becomes clear something has escaped from the Underworld, but determining what is just another mystery the sisters have to solve. Luckily, they have some wonderful friends, as well as a devoted feline familiar that are willing to assist them with their task.

This is the basic run down, but in fact, the book is so much more. It is an intimate portrayal of the sisters finding their own magical powers, learning what it means to be dedicated to their deities, experimenting with spells (some successful, others not so much), and drawing upon their inner strength to make it through a very tough time.

There’s also subplots happening throughout the book, such as Mercy dating a jerky jock, who is sweet to her but a misogynist pig to the others, and Hunter’s experience as a lesbian in a small town. Spoiler alert, their familiar also turns into a person, which is quite entertaining. Hunter and Mercy both also have best friends, Emily and Jax respectively, who add to the dynamic between the characters and provide comic relief and heart-warming love.

While it is a young adult novel, which deals with coming of age themes, I still enjoyed it very much as an adult. I think this is because P.C. and Kristin write with so much honesty and truth about witchcraft, weaving in spells and describing the ritual objects used. I’ve yet to find another author who so effectively blends the practicalities of modern witchcraft with captivating fantasy elements.

The book does have an added supernatural component, but I enjoy this because it’s like the psychic world given 3-D formation. Rather than banishing spirits, the twins are fighting monsters from the Underworld. There’s demonic possession, mythological creatures reeking havoc, and intense physical manifestations of energy, but it makes for a wonderful story.

Also featured is more common spell work, such as one done by Hunter to relieve the grief of her sister. Reading about the girls collecting the items they need, picking out herbs and crystals, and also going through grimoires to find spells were all things I could relate to as a magical practitioner.

I also very much related to the twin’s experience of getting acquired with their powers. Mercy has dedicated herself to be a Green Witch of goddess Freya, while Hunter is a Cosmic Witch dedicated to god Tyr (well, for the most part..). Seeing how each of their powers manifest itself is insight into determining what one’s own magical skill set might be.

Mercy can intuitively connect with nature, calling on trees as allies, but she’s terrible at tarot. While Hunter draws strength from the moon, crystals, and is wonderful at decoding the messages of her tarot deck. She’s also realizing she has quite the skill for blood magic, while Mercy copes with her first sexual experience dedicated to a love and fertility goddess. It’s confusing sometimes stepping into our powers, isn’t it?

All in all, I absolutely loved Spells Trouble, and I recommend it to all witches looking for an entertaining summer read. I think there’s so much potential for this series, and the Casts are authors who never let me down. I’m thrilled to see how this series develops, as I’m already invested in the character and enjoying the plot. It has the right mixture of feel-good emotions stemming from the love, trust, and bravery of the character with the tension from conflict between the twins about what the path forward looks like in regard to their choice of deities. Eek! But I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll wrap up here by saying this is one to add to the reading list this summer!

Growing Big Dreams, by Robert Moss

Growing Big Dreams: Manifesting Your Heart’s Desires Through Twelve Secrets of the Imagination, by Robert Moss
New World Library, 1608687046, 344 pages, September 2020

What does it mean to truly live out your dreams? For some, it may feel like the idea of manifestation has been co-opted by positive thinking gurus teaching how to harness control of your mind to direct it very specifically toward an intent. But what if the real secret to manifestation is not within your conscious mind, but your dreaming one? In Growing Big Dreams: Manifesting Your Heart’s Desires Through Twelve Secrets of the Imagination, Robert Moss teaches how to use time honored techniques to enhance your life through dreams and imagination.

Moss provides twelve insights that reveal the power of dreams and teaches how combined with imagination these dream techniques can guide one to living their soul’s callings. This mixture of shamanic journeying, depth psychology, story-telling, creative exploration, and dream-weaving is a wonderful tapestry to explore one’s own bigger story in life. By bridging the mythic and mundane, a doorway opens up to explore the deeper callings and potential for our lives, most often revealed through dreams and the imagination.

Before delving into my review, I must confess, I am a huge fan of Robert Moss. His work has been deeply influential on my dream practice, and I’ve read quite a few of his books, as well as taken an online course through the Shift Network led by him. Some of his most notable books are Active Dreaming, Dreaming the Soul Back Home, and The Secret History of Dreaming. I also have previously reviewed his book published in 2018, Mysterious Realities. He is an incredible storyteller, teacher, and dreamer.

However, despite my familiarity with Moss’s work, I still gained so much from Growing Big Dreams that was original, unique, and impactful. The entire process of reading this book felt like the gateways to my creativity where being flung open, allowing streams of insight to flow in and shift my perspective. There’s three things I especially love about the way the book is written that I want to focus on because I feel they really highlight what stands out about this book in particular.

The first is the many, many stories Moss provides to give examples of what he’s writing about. Since he’s been actively practicing and teaching dreamwork for decades now, he’s filled to the brim with stories to tell, and he perfectly blends his wisdom with an anecdote to show the reader how the principle can manifest or be applicable in their own life.

There were stories of recovering illness through dreams, discovering personal power, transferring dreams to another for healing, and reconnecting with parts of oneself that have been previously split off. Every chapter has a reflection on a workshop taught or story from one of his students who used the technique successfully, and it makes me confident as a reader that I too can connect with my dreams and imagination for healing and personal growth.

The second is that the whole book is filled with mythology, stories, and wisdom from tons of cultures. Quite literally spanning the globe, there is immense diversity in Moss’s approach to dreamwork. Moss discusses his experience of connecting with an indigenous medicine woman when he purchases land in New York. He also delves into the mythology of many pantheons, especially the Greek pantheon with the myth of Persephone. There’s a really intriguing story of his connection with Yemaya during a workshop in South America. Additionally, there’s stories of working with ancestors, animal guides, and gatekeepers.

Also referenced often are the insights of people, such as Barbara Hand Clow, Dion Fortune, and David Bohm. Moss draws from physics, psychology, religion, and more to bring together a comprehensive method of manifestation unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I especially enjoyed reading about Henry Corbin, who translated the works of Islamic mystics Alam al-Khayal and Alam al-Mithal, and who wrote on the Mundus Imaginalis (imaginal realm).

“It is a region of mind between the world of time and the world of eternity. In this realm human imagination meets intelligence from higher realities, and they co-construct places of healing, instruction, and initiation. Here ideas and powers beyond the grasp of the ordinary human mind — call them archetypes or Platonic forms — take on guises humans can begin to perceive and understand.”1

But here’s the third thing that makes this book so epic: Moss doesn’t just write about this stuff and leave you with no map, he provides exercises and practices so the reader too can explore. It took me quite a while to make my way through this book because I kept wanting to try all the exercises, while also giving myself the time to integrate them without just rushing onto the next section in excitement.

Some of the ones I tried were Journey to the Cave of Mama Bear, Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Visit Your Dream Cinema, Journey to the Blue Lake of Healing, Bring Hummingbird into Your Heart, Who is Persphone to You?, Through Blue Fire, Step into a Picture, Journey to the Island of Your Heart’s Desire, and Gift a Power Animal.

My dream journal is packed after making my way through this book! And Moss did not hold back at all. It’s like he took all his techniques, exercises, and tools he’d used with participants in his workshops and classes and wrote it all out for the reader to do at home. Within this book, there is SO much to explore and infinite possibility through the portals of dreams and imagination.

With each exercise I tried, I feel like I found a new piece of myself. The entire time of reading Growing Big Dreams, along with doing the dreamwork and imaginal journeying, felt immensely creative. I certainly feel more attuned to what my soul is yearning for, and like I now have the toolkit to bring about these inner dreams to life in the physical world. 

This is the type of manifestation that I feel everyone should be practicing, as it connects us to ourselves, the energies present in the world (mythic, archetypal, nature, animals, spirits), and assists us in re-envisioning what’s possible for our life. I certainly felt my personal story expanding into something larger, a part of a much greater whole.

All in all, I recommend Growing Big Dreams to everyone interested in dreamwork or simply discovering a new pathway for healing and growth.  Once again, Moss has hit the ball right out of the park. I greatly appreciate all the wisdom he shares with readers as a teacher, mentor, and guide. If you are interested in learning more about dreamwork, I think this book is a wonderful place to get started for beginners. Though, experienced practitioners are certain to benefit as well from the techniques shared by Moss.

There’s many benefits to attuning ourselves to the wisdom of dreams and imagination, from boosting creativity to nurturing childhood wounds. The ample possibilities that open up when we begin actively engaging with our dream life is absolutely incredible, and it might be just what our world needs most at this time.

The Art of Aliveness, by Flora Bowley

The Art of Aliveness: A Creative Return to What Matters Most, by Flora Bowley
Hierophant Publishing, 1950253104, 224 pages, March 2021

How often do we really pause to think about what truly makes us feel alive? Have you ever thought there could be ways to feel more inspiration, creativity, and joie de vivre? Well that’s exactly what Flora Bowley offers in her book The Art of Aliveness: A Creative Return to What Matters Most. This spectacular process-oriented book is a guide to rediscovering one’s zest for life.

Flora Bowley is a woman of many talents: artist, healer, yoga instructor, and author (her previous books include Brave Intuitive Painting and Creative Revolution). These different pursuits lend to her creative lifestyle, which she has learned to navigate intuitively. According to her website, her aim is to create “a new holistic movement in the intuitive art world.”1 She purses this passion by leading in-person workshops and online painting courses, along with pursuing the other avenues her creativity inspires her to follow.

“Aliveness means reaching into the vast depths of our full human experience, not shying away from what we find there, and being brave enough to say, “I can be with what is, and I can choose again. I can create beauty out of sorrow and find meaning in the madness. I can be the alchemist of my own life no matter what cards I’ve been dealt.””2

I absolutely loved the book and had many “aha” moments reading it. First of all, Bowley is so honest about her journey. The ups and downs, she is willing to share her story with authenticity. This aspect made me greatly respect her, because it’s certainly not easy to lay it all out for others to know about. Her life is pretty epic though, and simply reading it brought me so much motivation to take new risks and follow my intuition more often.

Some of the really neat things Bowley has done in her life discussed in the book are volunteering in New Orleans after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, attending Burning Man and awakening to new parts of herself, and even changing her name legally to reflect this emerging identity. How badass are all these things? She reminded me that it’s okay to live outside the box and do things that I’m feeling called to do without having to justify them to other people or be worried about what they will think.

This honesty in Bowley’s writing created a connection with her that made me feel like I could trust her and she wasn’t trying to push anything on me. This whole book is an invitation to open up to the richness of life. She even writes about how in her journey of teaching intuitive painting, she realized the difference between sharing a creative philosophy and teaching a creative lifestyle. While her creative philosophy absolutely can be seen woven into all areas of her life, this book intended to help the reader develop their own creative lifestyle.

All the chapters in the book are a life lesson about living creatively. At the start of the chapter, Bowley includes anecdotes from her own life. Many of these describe how she came to the wisdom that she’s sharing. Then at the end of the chapters, there is a section called “Try This On” where Bowley offers a practice for the reader to do. Most were easy to incorporate into life, such as “The next time you feel a strong emotion, or if you’re feeling one now, notice if you are pushing it down or allowing it to run the show.”3 These practices helped me be more aware of my intuition, feelings, and creative process.

Furthermore, Bowley’s visual description of elements of painting became a symbolic imagery for me to envision when reading. The abstract concept of adding contrast to life came alive on canvas as she described popping yellow paint burst from a deeper blue. Never having painted much, this perspective opened new doors to perception for me, which made me actually want to try my hand at putting the brush to canvas. (Okay, maybe I’ll start with finger paints for now, but it’s still invigorating!)

“Contrasts brings together two or more strikingly different things, creating a dynamic relationship in juxtaposition or close association. In other words, contrast happens when two very different worlds collide, kiss, or simply exist side by side. I hunt for opportunities to create contrast because I know that tension between elements creates energy, a spark, nuance.”4

She also has so many suggestions from her workshops that I really thought were engaging in helping creators acknowledge feelings in a new way. For instance, one thing she’s done with participants is having them give away their half finished painting. Some were sentimental about it, others were happy to be relieved of it, but either way it is an exercise in letting go. From there, the painters were supposed to build on what the other had started. This made me start thinking more about my attachment to things and how I could also include more collaboration.

Reading Bowley’s story made me start thinking about my life as a big canvas, filled with colors and shapes, rather than my normal way of seeing it filled with people, activities, and commitments. Thinking about each of these elements in my life through an artistic perspective got me wondering what the current canvas of my life looked like and how I might bright out something new in what I was working with.

Overall, The Art of Aliveness is filled with wisdom and personal insight in which Bowley draws on her creative process to offer insight on how to reconnect with the inherent beauty in life. I feel like anyone looking to reawaken their creative spirit would benefit from reading this book. As already mentioned, simply hearing her personal story was an inspiration to follow my dreams. Her painting expertise is an added bonus that is sure to motivate other creators to make meaning of their life’s journey through artistry.

Manifesting Spirits, by Jack Hunter

Manifesting Spirits: An Anthropological Study of Mediumship and the Paranormal, by Jack Hunter
AEON Books, 1912807882, 296 pages, January 2021

For anyone who’s ever academically ventured into topics such as mediumship, life after death, spirits, and other psi phenomena you’ve most likely found the present literature rarely acknowledges the actual existence of these phenomena, for doing so would bring the entire paradigm into question. These inquiries are often quickly dismissed or explained in terms of cognitive, functional, or pathological theories.  However, Manifesting Spirits: An Anthropological Study of Mediumship and the Paranormal by Jack Hunter has gone where few have gone before.

Hunter has written an extremely well-defined and well-researched study of the paranormal from a perspective that invites an expansion of consciousness and method of scholarship. He frames these phenomena in a way that invites a new paradigm to emerge while maintaining full rigor in the quality of his resources. As he describes, he “does not seek to reduce the significance of spirit mediumship to purely functional, psychological, sociological, or cognitive explanations.”1 In so many ways, this work is truly groundbreaking and an essential read for any serious paranormal practitioner, investigator, or enthusiast.

The approach in this research is a “non-reductive interpretive framework that emphasises complexity and multiple dimensions of process and meaning.”2 I include this because, yes, Hunter’s writing requires a certain level of familiarity with words such as “ontological” and “phenomenological” to fully grasp. I will give him immense credit in his thorough explanation of what he’s doing, but for those who are less inclined to read scholarly material, this book might be quite intimidating.

It took me well over a month (I might even say closer to two) to make my way through this book. Much of the time, it felt like I was reading an academic paper, which was fascinating given the topic, but also not a light read. Many of the chapters seem to be informative literature reviews that were blended together to make a compelling book. As someone who values academic integrity, strong references, and a well-defined methodology, Manifesting Spirits was a true delight.

Hunter does a wonderful job of situating his work within the previous and current literature on the subject, aptly helping the reader to see the building blocks for his research and why he has chosen to write about it in the way he’s done in this book. He acknowledges the pitfalls of academic research on these subjects and how his work differs in that it admits the possibility of paranormal phenomenon. He calls his perspective “ontologically flooded” in that it is “open to multiple possibilities and emphasising complexity over reductive simplicity.”3 Essentially, rather than setting out to prove the validity of spirits and other psi phenomena, Hunter’s position is openness to the possibility of genuine paranormal phenomena being a factor at play but is not automatically assuming it.

To achieve this aim, Hunter began exploring these topics at Bristol Spirit Lodge to better understand the spirit world through those who have regular contact with spirits. By taking their experiences seriously, he accumulated a plethora of ethnographic research.This ethnographic research included attending seances, developing his own mediumship abilities, and interviews with both mediums and spirits. In turn, switching the usual mode of boxing-in these ethnographic experiences to fit the analytic thinking to using the research done ethnographically to re-examine the dominant model for interpreting these events.

In Manifesting Spirits, there are quite a few fascinating topics Hunter explores, many of which I’ve never seen framed from his unique methodological perspective. The main topic of his research is physical mediumship. Physical mediumship involves manifestations such as raps, taps, de/materialized objects, and even ectoplasm. This differs from mental mediumship, which is a form of telepathy used to communicate with spirits, and trance mediumship, which is a form of mental mediumship where the spirit uses the mind of the medium to deliver messages. He notes how members of the lodge feel a reconnection between the physical and spiritual world through witnessing these paranormal experiences, which can be quite a spiritual experience.

The section I liked the most was “Naturalising the supernatural” where Hunter writes about how phenomena that are considered “supernatural” would not be considered so in other culture systems. Cultures outside the Western materialistic approach would see some of these phenomena as natural and a part of daily life. He draws on the writing of social scientist Durkheim, who pointed out supernatural only exists because a natural order exists, but as Hunter writes, “To a certain extent, then we can say that what is deemed possible is both limited and facilitated by cultural norms and expectations.”4

Now that was something I could deeply relate to, both personally and professionally. Since I was innately aware of the spirit world from a very young age (I saw ghosts and was aware of the presence of spirit during adolescence, I also became a youthful paranormal explorer. By my teenage years, I had read countless ghost stories of my local area, presented about the haunted history of town, and catalogued undocumented accounts.

In college, I majored in psychology, but I was quickly frustrated with the exclusion of psychic phenomena. I knew by the time I graduated that the traditional route was not for me, and I began exploring other subsets of psychology such as Jungian (or Depth Psychology) and Transpersonal psychology, but even these were not fully inclusive of what I had very subjectively experience in communication with spirits, as well as in sessions with many mediums over the years. Alas, paranormal studies have sufficed, but I too longed to bridge the gap with academia.

It is for this reason Manifesting Spirits is so immensely valuable to the field. It takes paranormal studies and integrates them into an academic framework that is usable for future research. Reading this book, I just kept thinking how much I wished I had it for reference when attempting to put forth these ideas in my academic studies. I am grateful to have it now, as I truly think this is a foundational book in many fields, from psychology to anthropology, and even religious studies. I truly think I would have written a different thesis had this book existed at the time of my research because it would have empowered me to believe writing and researching on these topics was possible.

Manifesting Spirits is a truly ground-breaking work that I am sure will be referenced by many to come. It completely opens doors to the study of these new realms. Hunter’s research methods are unique and exactly what is needed to go beyond the current limits of research spirits, mediumship, and paranormal experience. It is a must-have for any serious paranormal researcher’s collection, as well as an enlightening read for those with an interest in mediumship. This review is certainly an understatement of the wealth of material presented by Hunter, from blending with spirits to an exploration of the seance. I highly recommend diving into yourself and being open to the emergent ideas and techniques that are bound to provide some revelation.