Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Author Archives: Robin Fennelly

About Robin Fennelly

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition [www.sacredwheel.org]. She is a dancer, teacher, astrologer, author, ritualist and seeker of all things of a spiritual nature. Her writings and classes incorporate a deep understanding of Eastern practice and Western Hermetics and bring a unique perspective towards integration and synthesis of the Divine and Mundane natures of our being. She is a mother of five and lives in Eastern PA with her husband of 45+ years.

Deva, by Jacquelyn E. Lane

Deva: Our Relationship with the Subtle World, by Jacquelyn E. Lane
Findhorn Press, 978-1644110741, 320 pages, June 2020

Deva: Our Relationship with the Subtle World by Jacquelyn E. Lane is a title that anyone who is serious about the undertaking of engaging and communicating with the natural world should read. Lane is an educator by profession and this is quite apparent in the organization of the book. She has also been involved in the study of metaphysics for 50+ years, and this experience is the underpinning of this particular title and its teachings regarding the work of collaboration with the laws and spirits of nature through the development of a relationship of mutual respect, stewardship, and care.

…. Life is a great song. From the rocks that seem to be still to the bubbling water of a stream that flows over them. From the uncurling leaves of small plants to giant trees. From the quiet hamlets to the teeming cities. It’s all singing-notes within tunes, tunes within themes, themes within symphonies.1

These words flow from the pages and are the first lines of the Introduction. Simply reading them draws the reader in for a closer look and the journey that is about to unfold in the voluminous content that follows, if truly heard and appreciated, becomes a timeless and timely composition of nature. 

Deva is a fitting publication for the Findhorn Press and the mission of the Findhorn Community. To fully appreciate the need for this book a little history of The Findhorn Community will offer some background. The Findhorn Community developed from the resettlement of Peter and Eileen Caddy, their children, and Dorothy Maclean to the Findhorn Bay Caravan Park in 1962. The three had dedicated their lives to the pursuit of esoteric studies and applications and the barren soil of the caravan park provided the setting of opening to the land spirits and guidance in how to “live” in harmony on the land. All that was planted in accord with the aid of the Devas, elementals, and other nature spirits grew beyond expectation, and the garden became a marvel within the horticultural world.2

This book will please both the scientist and the esotericist in its content. Science and the esoteric philosophies are fast becoming great friends and supports to one another as we learn more about quantum physics and the nature of matter and energy. There is still quite a bit of ways to go in the overlap, but more books such as this will help in creating that bridge of cross-pollination. In reading the biography of the author we learn that Deva, was shortlisted for the 2019 Ashton Wylie Unpublished Manuscript Awards: an affirmation of the need for this material to be given the proper consideration it is due. 

The Introduction holds the keys to everything that the reader needs to know regarding what to expect from this book and what is required from the reader by way of open mind and willingness to become “involved” in the world that surrounds us in a more authentic way. So, for some this book will definitely be one of those slow and steady reads that leaves you with questions and wanting to know more-and do more-with each paragraph. And, for others it will affirm everything they have known and are currently working towards. 

Lane gives a clear and simple (ironically, for a very complex subject) introduction to who/what the deva are and the use of that term in the content that follows…

…. Deva is an ancient Sanskrit word from India meaning “Being of Light”… They sing ideas into form. It is the deva that cause us to exclaim, “Wow, this is a special place. It feels so alive!”…. they are within every atom. Deva are the faeries in the grass. They are the vast energy of sea, wind  and mountains….To really (understand) deva, we need to realize that deva is a kingdom of substance and form-the world of matter both solid and subtle.3

Deva is separated into three parts comprising a total of eighteen chapters. In some cases more is more, but this is one case in which it feels after reading that there were too few chapters — meant in the most complimentary of ways. There is a strong infusion of Theosophical principles throughout the book, but these are incorporated in such a way that the reader does not have to be a student of Theosophy to understand what is being said. The Bibliography is filled with resources of books, articles and recordings sourced from some of the most prominent and respected presenters of physics, botanists, metaphysicians, theosophists and more. I would consider this work as a required text for a course in how to become a participant in the worlds shared by humanity and nature. 

Part One: Elemental Tunes dives right in to exploring the inhabitants of our greater etheric planes of Earth that are the pure expression of energy from densest to the more rarified. Each chapter contained within this section opens the reader to a new experience of the devic kingdom and provides the basis upon which the individual can extrapolate and come to their own conclusions regarding how the energy of what is unseen is often more powerful than that seen as we become more aware of what is within and surrounds us…

… The deva kingdom is everywhere, say the ancients-an Intelligence infused into matter at every level of density.4

Part Two: Who’s Singing Your Song encompasses the aspects of emotion, thought  and those forms of deva that we create. I particularly enjoyed chapter eight “Emotion” and Lane’s attention to the power of our emotions as fueling many of the components of the spiritual evolution of devas, humanity and all of the sea of matter, formed and formless. This chapter really calls to the reader to examine their emotional baggage and presumptions that create patterns of illusion that are in contradiction to the organic nature of the deva and humanity. As I moved through the information in Part Two, I was reminded of the deep connection we have in mind and heart and the impact, not only upon ourselves, but everything from the densest of matter to the most subtle. These also inherently include the discordant relationships and often-resultant ill effects that communication with the deva kingdom may have if the individual is not aligned within him/herself.

Part Three: Symphonies could be compared to the final movement of a stirring orchestral composition. All of the instruments have a role that is both profound and subtle in their impact. The climax reaches its peak and we are left in the after-glow of a symphonic masterpiece that is inspiring and has reached deeply into the fibers of all of our being. These final chapters of Deva speak to active participation in the natural world and those aspects of the deva kingdom we are more familiar with as iconic representations of nature. Trees, plant life, geographic regions, climate change and planetary deva are some of the topics discussed. 

The final two chapters, “Deva, Religion and Pan” and “Consciousness,” were appropriately placed in the organic flow of this writing. These are topics that are usually captured at the beginning of a discourse such as this, and in doing so, feel like the perfunctory ‘getting that out of the way” manner in which they are often treated. In this case, this very important material punctuates the final notes of this symphony, and it is always those last notes that are remembered, even if the rest is forgotten. 

Lane offers these thoughts as conclusion and calls us to re-member our true state of being…

…The Great Song dances out of the One from the highest to the lowest. We can see its effects all around using every kingdom (animal, deva, mineral, etc..) beside us. We can hear it directly when we cease to place our individuality before that One Life. Yet, from the beginning it has called on our inner ear relentlessly until we have learnt to listen and, in listening, we hear the song of our own Light as well.5


Deva: Our Relationship with the Subtle World has been an immensely satisfying book to read. and I am looking forward to the many re-reads I will give as my own journey in connecting more deeply to the Deva continues. We are at a crossroads of choice and the next steps we take collectively, but most importantly individually, will determine so much more than what we see of the physical world. The more reminders we have about our place in this “symphony of life,” and the more books that are brought forward that will speak to all levels of engagement and practice will be steps in the right direction.  Open your eyes with new wonder and call out from your highest intention and you may just be surprised at who/what calls back in reply.

Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches, by Ellen Canon Reed

Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches: Rituals, Meditations & Magical Tools, by Ellen Canon Reed
Weiser Books, 1578637379, 288 pages, February 2021

..In Wicca, our approach to magic is usually through the Gods. Having done all we are capable of doing on this plane, we turn to magic, and will often ask for the help, guidance, and blessing of specific deities….Egyptian legend says that Ra invented magic. The Gods were too busy to do everything, so Ra gave humankind magical powers, heka, so that we would be able to handle the unseen world ourselves.6

The writings of author, Ellen Canon Reed (1943-2003), have been widely accepted and long used as foundational points of reference within the Craft and practice of Wicca. Her teachings have been noted as holding true to the philosophical approach of the Witch as well as serving as a foundational path towards increasing one’s knowledge beyond the basics of witchcraft, including the Qabalah, Egyptian Magic and more. During her lifetime she was considered to be one of prominent resources regarding the Craft and even after her death her books are used widely within the pagan community.  

Her book Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches: Rituals, Meditations & Magical Tools fills all of the check boxes in creating a read that is both informative and able to be used in practical application. Although it is not as robust as some of the many titles we are finding in more abundance about the spiritual practices and religious philosophies of ancient Egypt, it is true to and in keeping with informing a Wiccan practice. This is one of the things that set this book apart from the others in offering a “way” to the Egyptian deities that is compatible with any system you are already employing, especially that of the  witch.

Something the reader will encounter throughout is the use of the term “Tamerans” in place of Ancient Egyptian. This serves both a pragmatic approach for the author and offers an alternative to the readily used term of Khemtic that we often encounter around writings of Ancient Egyptian magic. And, I believe the statement below illustrates Reed’s very simple and authentic approach in a desire to share the knowledge and offer a point of path for any who seek the wisdom…

…I discovered very early in writing this book that typing “ancient Egyptians” became tedious. If it’s tedious to write, it might well be tedious to read. Here’s how I solved the problem. An ancient name for Egypt was Tamera, which means “Beloved Land”… I will refer to ancient Egypt as Tamera and to its inhabitants as Tameran.7

This book lives up to its title in content. Reed provides the reader with enough information to begin the journey of spiritual connection for more than two dozen Egyptian Deities, and in doing so also expands the baseline of the more traditional gods/goddesses that are more prominently served. At 288 pages there is not nearly enough space to even scratch the surface of the cosmic view embedded in all of ancient Egyptian life, but the structure of the book lends itself well to a satisfying sampling of ways to engage in the profound energies of this pantheon, its culture, and its magic. 

Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches is separated into three parts, beginning with an introduction to the deities that can be called upon. Part 1: Gods and Goddesses of Egypt begins with one of the most well-known goddesses, Nut…

…The ancients portrayed Her stretched across the heavens with her feet to the East and her head to the West. The stars, they said, were jewels on her body, and the Milky Way was milk from her breasts.8

The hieroglyph representing the deity being discussed graces the top of the page and some basic information about the energy offered by that deity follows. I appreciated the image of the hieroglyph(s) because it lent an additional layer of use for connecting with that deity utilizing the strongly visual nature that humans inherently have.

Reed engages the reader with an easily recognizable portrayal of these larger than life deities through the use of personal examples of interaction or the experience of their calling as part of her coven’s ritual workings. This approach is used throughout the book and is a style common to the writings of Reed. She was able to encourage her readers to approach Wicca and the practice of a Witch without fear and/or the need for distancing oneself from the honoring of the divine beings that are our co-creators of this spiritual path. The final section of Part 1: Gods and Goddesses of Egypt provides the reader with an additional snapshot of forty-plus lesser-known Egyptian deities, their hieroglyphs, and just enough information to prompt further exploration.

I especially enjoyed Part II: Meditations, Rituals, and Developing Relationships with Deities. The primary focus of this section is one of practical experience as a tool towards bringing these deities into your life in a meaningful and deeply connected way. Reed states…

…We’ve used these techniques individually and as a group. Those who were involved-students, friends, other covens-almost invariably gained something more than knowledge of the Gods. They gained a relationship with Them. To us, these Gods are not abstract ideas or energies. They are not distant unreachable energies. To us, They are known, and loved…greatly loved.9

This statement sets the tone for what follows as a gift of meditations, mantras, rituals, recipes for food, incense and oils, and songs with lyrics and musical score. Each of these components has been tested for efficacy by Reed’s coven, Sothistar; and its members crafted many of the recipes for incense, food, and drink. I really enjoyed the ritual “Celebration of the Birthdays of the Gods” shared that Reed’s coven enacted annually….

…. For many years Sothistar held a “Birthday of the God/dess” party , to celebrate the birth of the five Egyptian Deities (Asar, Aset, Heru, Nebet Het, Set). … These celebrations were held on the Saturday or Sunday that fell within the five days preceding July 19th, the date of the rising of Sirius.10

Part III: Magic and Magical Tools wraps everything up nicely with suggestions and instructions for creating amulets, pillows, creating a sistrum (the sacred instrument of Hathor), and more. There is a section with images of various basic hieroglyphs that can be inscribed for magical workings, another dedicated to some unique ways of using Divination with the overlay of Egyptian magic, and one about Reed’s process of trial and error. This seems a fitting way to conclude the journey that began with introduction to the Deities you would be working with, putting into more practical use the relationship that developed.

The Appendices add to the resources provided in Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches. Appendix A: Tameran Names is a wonderful addition of recommendation for those wishing to take a magical name that is in keeping with the Tameran language and meanings. We are told that Appendix B: The Calendar is a reflection of information found on the Cairo Papyrus regarding the various dates observed by the Egyptians. This resource is not one that is usually included in other books and provided another layer to be used in deepening our connection to the Ancient Egyptians. The calendar spoke to each day of the year and the trials or joys, festivals of the gods and more… 

…The Tamerans had a calendar of twelve 30-day months, with five “extra” days called the epagogemental days occurring right before the New Year.  The year began the first day Sirius (Sothis) rose at dawn after the rising of the Nile. This took place approximately July 19 on our present day calendar.11

The Glossary at the end of the book and the Bibliography provided serve as additional reference tools and opportunities to explore other writings related to the Ancient Egyptians. 

Ancient Egyptian Magic for Modern Witches is definitely a title worth reading whether you are committed to a path aligned with Egyptian magic or another. In fact, this book is a reminder that many of the religious and spiritual practices of the Egyptians are those that were adapted and refined to mold more easily to the cultures in which they were introduced. By gaining an understanding of these older deities and practices of the Ancient Egyptians, we gain a deeper understanding of those that have followed as Celtic, Greek, and others.