Page 20 – Musing Mystical

The Herbcrafter’s Tarot, by Latisha Guthrie

The Herbcrafter’s Tarot, by Latisha Guthrie with artwork by Joanna Powell Colbert
U.S. Games System Inc., 1572819723, 124 pages, 78 cards, May 2019

The traditional tarot images often grow stale for me. In delving into why this happens, I reached the conclusion it was because they aren’t always relatable. Symbolic? Sure. But sometimes I just want to see images from daily life; I want to see scenes of my day to day. It was my quest for this domestic, homey feeling I was seeking in my readings that led me to The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by Latisha Guthrie.

The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by Latisha Guthrie is a beautifully crafted deck that intertwines the wisdom of the natural world with the mystical art of tarot reading. This 78-card deck, created in collaboration with illustrator Joanna Powell Colbert, is a celebration of the healing power of herbs and plants. Each card is thoughtfully designed to depict a specific plant, along with its symbolic meanings and practical applications, making it a unique blend of botanical knowledge and spiritual insight. And the imagery was spot-on for what I was seeking!

The cards are from the point of view of the reader. The Major Arcana cards depict a natural altar to the herb and its corresponding energy. They represent the gratitude the herbcrafter feels “for the gifts and insights the plants give her.”¹ Some of the altars looked planned out, such as the ones in the shape of the mandala, while others are simply the altars that arise during herbcrafting as one is actively engaged in their process.

The Court Cards, which in this deck are called People Cards, all feature hands of the herbcrafter. They show hands doing all sorts of mundane tasks: picking plants, drawing a bath, pouring a tea kettle. She writes:

“Our intention is to highlight the plant as well as to celebrate the slow intentional ritual of handcrafting. With every berry gathered and tincture mixed we enflesh the sacred, making prayer visible.”²

In this deck, the Court Cards are Hijas (Daughters, traditionally Pages), Adelitas (Warriors, Traditionally Knights), Madres (Mothers, traditionally Queens), and Curanderas (Healers, traditionally Kings). Characterizing the Court Cards in this way made me feel extra connected to this deck too because these are the types of people that show up in my life; it’s easier for me to identify a motherly figure than it is a queen.

Other cards in the deck depict momentary scenes of what it looks like in the midst of gardening, having a cup of tea in bed with the moon shining above, or simply gazing at nature scenes of gardens, rivers, and trees exuding their beauty. As I browse the cards, I instantly feel at peace, grounded, and connected to the natural world. Yet the imagery takes on a whole additional layer of meaning after reading the guidebook.

Guthrie explains how instead of traditional tarot suits (swords, wands, cups, and pentacles), their corresponding elements are used for the Minor Arcana (air, fire, water, and earth). And the cards for each element have a theme: air shows the observation of nature, fire the transformation of the herbs, water focuses on baths and teas, and earth showcases “baskets and fiber arts”, which are considered “legacy tools.”³

Furthermore, the herbs were chosen for each number within the elemental Minor Arcana based on “how they contribute to an ecosystem”.⁴ Guthrie provides a list for numbers 1-10 to explain the roles of one. The guidebook also groups the cards by number, so rather than looking through a section on a specific element, one looks to section on that number and then finds their element within.

One of my favorite cards in the deck visually is Strength, which is the Garlic card. This is a Major Arcana card, so I knew it was depicting an altar of sorts, but it is certainly one of those altars that arises naturally from being in the moment. While I could describe it for you myself, a real bonus of the guidebook for this deck is that each entry features a description of the card. This is what the guidebook says about this card:

“A braided cluster of purple garlic rests on a cloth made of natural fibers. Roses from a nearby vase begin to dry, and petals have fallen on the table. Golden liquid seeps from a heart-shaped honeycomb onto a wooden board. Green scrapes fold into their lemniscate shape surrounding a pot of garlic cloves submerged in honey.”⁵

Guthrie perfectly captures the scene in each card with her vivid descriptions of the imagery. Even though I’m gazing at the card, her words bring the setting to life; I can feel it with my senses, further opening my intuitive understanding of the card.

The guidebook also features the Latin name, three imperative sentences for insight, a paragraph of wise words that speak to the spiritual meaning of the card, and three ways to craft with the energy of the card using the plant. For instance, the Strength card offers wearing a garlic amulet over the heart as a reminder to be bold, cook with garlic to fortify the body, and make “immune-boosting garlic honey”⁶ to soften intensity or conflict.

One of the standout features of this deck is its ability to connect the reader with the herbs, forming relationships “for medicine, creativity, ritual, and spiritual guidance.”⁷ The cards are not just tools for divination; they serve as a bridge to deepen one’s understanding and relationship with plants too. Guthrie’s guidebook provides detailed descriptions of each herb, including its traditional uses, folklore, and ways to integrate it into daily life. This makes the deck an educational resource as well as a spiritual tool, ideal for those who have an interest in herbalism or wish to incorporate nature into their spiritual practice.

In terms of usability, this deck is accessible for both beginners and experienced tarot readers. The imagery is rich and cozy, allowing for intuitive readings based on the set scene, while the guidebook is comprehensive yet easy to follow. The deck encourages a hands-on approach, inviting users to engage with the herbs mentioned, whether through gardening, cooking, or crafting.

Overall, The Herbcrafter’s Tarot is a harmonious blend of art, nature, and spirituality, offering a unique and enriching experience for anyone interested in tarot and herbal wisdom. It has become my go-to tarot deck recently. I absolutely love getting to learn more about the plants themselves, from the practical uses to the spiritual messages they have to share. Guthrie and Colbert have done a wonderful job distilling the essence of each plant into the cards both in the imagery and guidebook for readers to truly connect with their natural powers.

The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body, by Renée Gregorio

The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body: Somatic Practices to Enhance Creativity and Inspiration, by Renée Gregorio
Park Street Press, 1644119234, 192 pages, March 2024

I was unexpectedly surprised by how much I enjoyed moving through Renée Gregorio’s new book, The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body: Somatic Practices to Enhance Creativity and Inspiration. Although I can heap many praises on this book: remarking on its clean and direct writing or its superb organization and flow, what stuck out to me most was Gregorio’s stunning variety of helpful exercises. Whether you are a writer seeking to engage ever more deeply with your craft or someone simply wishing to explore your inner landscape and enrich your experience as an embodied being, you’ll find plenty of juicy content to engage with!

The text is clear and easy to digest, as one would expect from an award-winning poet. And while poetic writers can sometimes lean into style and expression a bit too heavily, potentially obscuring informative content, Gregorio demonstrates her supreme skill at communicating and evoking feelings from the reader without sacrificing the clarity of content. I believe her ability to walk this line with such grace comes from the very subject of the book–tapping into the somatic dimensions of your lived experience.

“I literally feel the words as they move through my body.It’s as if language fully occupies me, from the inside out, so that language is then born out of the body. It’s as if language and the body are really one.”⁴

Gregorio invites us into this exploration through her prolific use of exercises, which range from breath work and meditations to a variety of movement practices. Many of these exercises are deeply informed by Gregorio’s decades of practicing aikido, drawing upon her somatic (embodied) experience of this martial art to discover the powerful language hidden in the depths of one’s own body. Although one might think that martial arts and writing have little to do with one another, aikido has been an invaluable teacher for Gregorio because of how it relies on the interplay of energy between practitioners. By learning how to recognize, channel, and redirect the energies between herself and a partner on the sparring mat, Gregorio transmuted these insights to the dynamic between a writer and their own unique language that lies buried in their blood and bones.

At times, the amount of exercises Gregorio shares with us–usually two, if not three, per chapter!–can feel a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re the sort of person who likes to try each and every one before moving on to the next section. But not to worry, Gregorio advises the reader to pick and choose from among the exercises in each of the four main Parts of her book. As with any embodied practice, each person will have a unique experience and must experiment to discover which practices speak to them most powerfully. Thus, Gregorio’s plethora of exercises works perfectly for this method. In finding a couple exercises in each part which suit you and your writing needs, you establish a core set of practices which you can change or expand upon in the future.

As I moved further into the text, I found great appreciation for the overall organization and structure of The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body. Each of the four main Parts of the book contains seven or eight chapters which support the theme of each Part: Center is Everything, Opening the Body to Language, Turning Obstacles into Doorways, and The Roar of Your Writing. Part One begins with the most general discussion and exercises about tuning in to one’s somatic experience. Each subsequent Part then turns more directly toward the act of writing and bringing one’s embodied language out into the world.

I found this progression to be extremely helpful and well-designed to facilitate the reader’s gradual immersion into their somatic depths before trying to actively apply this to writing. As much as this book is about discovering one’s most authentic voice as a writer, it is also about unfolding one’s embodied soul through the medium of writing. Even though the practices in Part One are fairly universal–developing somatic sensitivity regardless of whether I wish to empower my writing–each contains a journal prompt that works toward integrating somatic experience and language. This led into Part Two, which focuses on creating space for your embodied writer to emerge, and deepening your relationship with that writer and the practice of your writing.

Part Three is my personal favorite, as it addresses common ways that we can get in our own way as writers. Whether fear is holding your words back, or difficult emotions and memories block you from your truest expression, Gregorio provides the means to transform each type of creative dam into a roaring river of expression. Finally, Part Four centers around harnessing the latent power of your somatic writer to bring forth the fullest and most authentic voice to your writing. This means not only discovering what you–and only you–have to write about, but also how to let your words roar off the page that can shake your audience to their core.

Sharing an insight from one of her students, Gregorio writes “at first roaring was about ‘standing up, being seen, being heard, making a difference,’ but that her definition of roaring evolved into also ‘knowing and accepting yourself so much that it is not you that roars but the words.’ Roaring is the ability to feel confident and sense your competency.”⁶

One of the reasons why I think this book is so effective is that many of her practices mirror those in various forms of psychological therapy. For example, exercises such as “Identifying Your Historic Patterns” and “The Mask of Self Doubt” function similarly to methods used in Internal Family Systems theory, used to help recognize and prevent one’s subpersonalities from detrimentally interfering with one another. Likewise, “Giving Shape to the Unseen” and “Accepting What’s Behind You” are reminiscent of Jungian-style shadow work. Although the practices may be similar, Gregorio’s somatic focus adds dimensions of our embodied experience that can often be overlooked in therapeutic settings.

Overall, The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body is one of the most helpful books about improving your writing that I’ve ever encountered. Even without a current writing project in my life, the range and depth of exercises are already yielding fruit. Exploring my somatic experience and journaling about my findings is certainly valuable, and has also helped in delving the depths of my soul. I definitely plan on returning to this text (over and over) to try out the different exercises, and hopefully loose my own roaring words upon the world. I don’t think it too bold to say that The Writer Who Inhabits Your Body is so approachable and applicable that it would find a home on anyone’s book shelf, regardless of their creative pursuits.

Shamanic Teachings of the Condor, by Martha Winona Travers, Ph.D.

Shamanic Teachings of the Condor: Encounters with the Mystical Traditions of the Andes, by Martha Winona Travers, Ph.D.
Bear & Company, 1591435064, 192 pages, April 2024

In Shamanic Teachings of the Condor: Encounters with the Mystical Traditions of the Andes, Michigan-based author Martha Winona Travers, Ph.D., who holds a doctorate in English literature, writes about her twenty-two year apprenticeship to the Ecuadorian Kichwa healer Taita Alberto Taxo, who passed away in February 2022. This spiritual memoir is both a glowing eulogy honoring Taita Alberto’s life work and a guide to reconnecting with nature that shares his legacy with the world. Taita Alberto comes alive in these pages, imparting gentle, heart-centered wisdom. Through Travers’s recollections, we too can receive his teachings.

Taita Alberto (1954-2022) authored several books, including Friendship with the Elements: Opening the Channels of Communication (2010). Travers is also the creator of The Waycard Oracle: A Guide to the Inner Journey (2016), which includes 33 oracle cards and a guidebook.

Taita Alberto was a iachak, which is the Kichwa word for shaman. (The i in iachak is pronounced like a y.) Taita is an honorific title meaning “father,” indicating his role as a spiritual leader and teacher in his community.⁸ In 2007, he gave Travers the title of Mama Iachak, giving her the authority to carry on his tradition and transmit his teachings.

Iachaks, also known as “bird people,”⁹ identify with Condors. The Condor represents the Andean way of life, of “living from the heart,”¹⁰ in harmony with nature. The Eagle, the national bird of the United States, symbolizes “the people of the North,”¹¹ who value technology and rationality, and live from the mind. “The Condor’s gift—the power of the heart—and the Eagle’s gift—the power of the mind—are two halves of a whole,”¹² Travers says, and Taita Alberto taught that the time has come for the two to work together in harmony.

The iachak must bridge the cultural gap between the traditional way of life and the colonial one, retaining the native language while speaking the colonial tongue, and preserving the ancestral customs when most people in their community have converted to the colonial religion and adopted modern values. The power of flight enables the iachak to move freely between these cultural realms without being trapped in either one.

While many natives felt threatened by outsiders visiting Ecuador to study with the iachak due to the harm caused by colonialism, Taita Alberto claimed that it had been prophesied that the forces of mind and heart, the rational Eagle and the intuitive Condor, were now destined to unite.

“The Condor needs help with technology and science,” Taita Alberto said. “The Eagle needs help listening to the heart. We need both gifts—both the mind and the heart—for balance.”¹³

Travers met Taita Alberto (also known as Taita Haskusht, his Kichwa name) in 1999. In “Part One: The Eagle Visits the Condor,” Travers recounts her first journey to Quito, Ecuador, a part of the Andes Mountain range that includes multiple active volcanoes. She and a group of visitors were welcomed into the ancestral home of Taita Haskusht, near the base of the volcano Cotopaxi, which is itself a powerful spiritual guide. With vivid and immersive prose, this beautiful memoir floods the mind’s eye with the sights and sensations of her pilgrimage along the serpentine paths circling Cotopaxi.

Each chapter in this section revolves around communion with one of the five elements. In the iachak worldview, the physical realm is made up of the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, plus the fifth element of Spirit, which is called Ushai in Kichwa. “The Ushai is the animating force of the universe; it is the energy that moves Earth, Air, Water, and Fire,”¹⁴ says Travers.“We experience the Ushai when we have the awareness that we are not separate from the elements.”¹⁵ All of the elements have feminine names in Kichwa: Fire is Nina, Water is Yaku, Air is Waira, Earth is Ashpamama, and Pachamama is the all-encompassing Great Cosmic Mother.

Chapter Three, “The Loving Earth,” is a moving account of a healing ritual in which the author recalls the experience of giving her pain to Mother Earth so it could be transformed by her. Prior to the ritual, Taita Haskusht encouraged the group to pick plants they felt drawn to for healing, following the wisdom of the heart to select the right one. When Travers attempted to ask Taita Haskusht to identify the plant she had chosen, he covered her mouth and turned away, triggering a deep wound within her. This was her first time attempting to speak to him, and she was hurt that he had silenced her.

Travers saw a migraine aura and feared a headache coming on, but she felt guided by an inner voice to follow the light instead of resisting it. While Taita Haskusht chanted, tears watered the earth as Travers and a grieving woman beside her relinquished their pain to the Mother. After the ritual, Taita Haskusht revealed to Travers that the plant she had selected “heals the voice.”¹⁶ I was dewy-eyed while reading this chapter, as I could feel the healing power of the Earth Mother through Travers’s vivid description of her experience.

In Chapter Four, “The Sacred River,” Travers describes the group’s experience of being purified in a volcanic hot spring, then dipping in a cold shallow stream, and the remainder of the day was spent resting and fasting. In the middle of the night, Travers woke several times, feeling afraid, and she glimpsed a ghostlike presence in the room. The next day, Taita Haskusht revealed that there had been “a great battle”¹⁷ during the night, as the impurities the group had released the previous day were manifesting as they were leaving. He blessed everyone by smudging them with the sweet-smelling woodsmoke of palo santo, a plant he said “loves us very much.”¹⁸

While reading, it felt beneficial to follow along by mimicking some of the actions described or by visualizing myself performing them with the narrator. For example, after reading about the smoke cleansing with palo santo, I burned some myself, asking the plant’s spirit to purify me.

Chapter Five, “The Speaking Wind,” invigorates readers with the breath of Andean air as Travers communes with the volcano Cotopaxi. When Travers first beheld the face of Cotopaxi, peeking through a veil of clouds, she thought it seemed sinister, and the words “grim” and “cruel” came to mind, but she realized this was how she was “dreaming up” the volcano, and she proceeded to listen with her heart instead.¹⁹ I found her commentary on humanity’s tendency to project their personal experiences onto the world to be very insightful.

“Listening is an open condition devoid of human projection,” Travers writes. “The iachak learns to separate from human fear and desire—those aspects of ego that create projection—and, instead, enters into a condition of receptivity to the many voices, the many languages of the many beings who share our world.”²⁰

As Travers and her group embraced the presence of Cotopaxi, listening with their hearts and absorbing the mountain’s powerful essence, “Madre Waira,” or “Mother Wind,”²¹ lifted their spirits, cleansing them of negativity.

Part Two is titled “Becoming a Runa: Purification and Sacred Communion.” “In Kichwa, the word runa describes a person who is walking the path of life in a sacred way,”²² Travers writes. A runa lives in intimate harmony with the natural world, as our ancestors once did. Taita Alberto taught that we can reestablish this ancient connection with nature through communion with the elements.

In the second part of this book, Travers provides exercises for revitalizing our relationship with the elemental powers. By recognizing the elements within and honoring the sacredness of our bodies, we become more conscious of what we consume, and are reminded not to pollute our inner rivers. According to Taita Alberto, “everything is food,”²³ from the air we breathe to the books and other forms of media we ingest, which is important to keep in mind, especially for those of us living in the Eagle’s consumer culture. Regardless of what we are eating, whether it is healthy or not, we express gratitude to Mother Earth when we savor and enjoy our food.

In the section on working with the Earth element, I found the dietary advice to be insightful. Travers suggests eating foods individually to gauge how they make us feel, allowing enough time to digest in between meals so the foods don’t mix. She provides general guidelines for how long to wait, such as half an hour for fruits, which digest quickly, and four hours for meat.

Taita Alberto did not eat meat and neither did his apprentice iachaks. As part of his own iachak training, he was instructed to consume a small portion of animal flesh, and was distressed to discover that it cut off his intuition for six months. “A person who eats animals is eating the animal’s fear,”²⁴ he said. He saw animals as his “helpers” and did not want to harm them.

To eat or not eat meat has been a lifelong moral quandary for me. I went through a vegetarian phase as a teenager, which frustrated some members of my family, who treated me like I was just being a difficult child and a picky eater rather than recognizing it was a choice based on my personal morals and spirituality (I was strongly influenced by Buddhism at the time and didn’t want to hurt animals). It angered my dad so much he stopped cooking for me altogether, claiming he didn’t know what to make since I wouldn’t eat meat, so I had to fend for myself. I started eating meat again in my early 20s when I was pregnant with my second child. I decided that since I was craving meat, the baby needed it. I received positive feedback when I started eating meat again, as people would tell me I looked healthier and had more color in my cheeks. Whether or not this was true, I don’t know, but I was verbally rewarded for conforming to my culture’s dietary preferences. To this day, I’m still troubled by factory farming, even though I eat meat purchased from the grocery store. I currently get my eggs from my own flock of hens, so those are at least guilt-free and not tainted with sadness because I know my girls are treated well.

Reflecting on the negativity I experienced when I chose to be a vegetarian as a teenager reminds me that our Eagle culture conditions us to consume meat without question. Those who deviate from this cultural norm are perceived as picky eaters who inconvenience others, and perhaps even troublemakers if they speak out against cruelty to animals. I think part of the problem is the fact that we get our meat pre-packaged in grocery stores and we are completely disconnected from the source of these products, which cuts off any empathy we might otherwise feel for the animals being slaughtered in factory farms. In contrast, Taita Alberto was raised as a vegetarian in the iachak tradition, and since he had a heart-based connection with the animal realm and saw animals as his helpers, eating meat was taboo for him, and doing so disconnected him from his spiritual Source.

Taita Alberto did not pass judgement on those who eat meat and his guidelines are not meant to be strictly followed as rigid rules. The ultimate teacher is experience, and he encouraged his pupils to see for themselves how following his suggestions makes them feel and shifts their perceptions.

Taita Alberto did not teach his students to ingest psychoactive plants because “all of nature is entheogenic,”²⁵ or “god-filled,”²⁶ including ourselves. We do not need mind-altering substances to experience the awe of “sacred communion with nature.”²⁷ Instead, he taught simple daily practices that “initiate us into primal identification with all of Nature.”²⁸ Many of these exercises focus on simply being present in the physical body and communing with nature through mindful sensory experience.

For example, when you feel the wind whispering on your skin, recognize it as a salutation from the Air element. Allow it to cleanse you of your anxieties and negative thoughts. This type of feeling is intuitive, not emotional, as our emotions are generated in response to our thoughts. Instead, it involves putting “emotion aside in order to enter an expansive condition of full, sensory awareness, present-moment consciousness, and intuitive sensing of energy beyond the material.”²⁹

Taita Alberto’s teachings can be put into practice through three simple steps: “greeting, feeling, and expressing gratitude.”³⁰ Taita Alberto began his mornings by greeting the newborn day and the shining sun that brightens our lives. “Greet everything that appears before your eyes,”³¹ he said. Greet the six directions, north, south, east, west, sky above, and earth below.

These teachings may seem too simple for those craving a powerful transcendent experience, but Travers says that “true power is a quiet, internal state,” not “a dominating energy,”³² as our industrialized culture has programmed us to believe. The potency of these practices lies in their simplicity, for they are about creating inner transformation through how we perceive and engage with nature.

Shamanic Teachings of the Condor offers a heart-centered approach to communing with the four elements of nature and the fifth element of Spirit that unites them. Rather than just being mindful, the Shamanic Teachings of the Condor encourage readers to cultivate heart-centered awareness. This book has reminded me to drop my Eagle consciousness down into my Condor heart space, to be present with my intuitive feelings while deepening my communion with the natural world. By attuning with the wisdom of the heart, we can all reconcile with nature.

Wild Lands Tarot, by Leah Shoman

Wild Lands Tarot, by Leah Shoman
Sacred Scribe Publishing, 9798987986608, 78 cards and 96 page guidebook, 2024

Wild Lands Tarot initially caught my attention because of the design. I’ve been fascinated by pictorial decks lately and the polaroid aesthetic of this deck especially appealed to me as a lover of all things vintage, so I knew I would have to give Leah Shoman’s creation a try.

Honestly, I wasn’t disappointed.

The pictorial base of the deck was beautiful, and the silver-foil embellishments were an unexpected addition that served to enhance the connections between the photographs and the specific card that they represented. However, the images selected for the deck seemed to be a little eclectic rather than revolving around a specific theme; the majority were either Japanese or Egyptian in nature, though occasionally there were some based on landscape photography as well.

I would have appreciated a section of the guidebook dedicated to the selection of the images. Why did Leah choose a particular image for one card over another? Why did she blend the images together or choose to overlay them like she did? Some explanation around those topics would have given the deck even more depth that I personally would have enjoyed.

The guidebook that came with this deck contained a dedicated page for each card, as well as two different spreads, and some information for a one-card draw. The interpretations follow what has become standard for Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) based decks.

However, the Wild Lands Tarot did rename two of the suits. The deck has the traditional Wands and Cups, but has replaced Swords with Ankhs and has renamed Pentacles to Coins. As you can imagine, most of the Egyptian themed images belonged to the suit of Ankhs, while Coins and Cups were primarily landscape and nature-based photography, and the suit of Wands contained primarily Japanese imagery.

The Major Arcana is where all three of these themes collided; some were Egyptian coded, others Japanese, and still others landscapes. The thing that most seemed to anchor the images to the cards they represented was the silver-foil overlays, which really helped to bridge the gap between the image and the traditional RWS majors. Without the foil images, I don’t necessarily think that I would have connected a lot of the photographs to their corresponding archetype.

The cards of the Wild Lands Tarot, in keeping with the vintage polaroid aesthetic, were shaped like the film that you would have to shake until they developed. (Yes, I know you remember those!) While that shape is not at all common in the world of tarot, I feel like it added to the appeal of the deck and the sense of nostalgia and hiraeth that permeates it. It is, however, an odd shape to shuffle and the cards weren’t the most comfortable to handle. They also have pointed corners, which isn’t something particularly prevalent in tarot, which tends to favor the rounded corners for comfortability and/or ease of use.

As far as handling goes, though, I absolutely loved the thickness and feeling of the cardstock. It’s definitely on the thicker side, which is my personal preference (I feel like it will last longer); coupled with the smooth yet still tactile matte finish, I was almost in cardstock heaven. Shoman got that aspect of her deck, in my opinion, just right.

When I pulled the deck out to give some friends readings, they all agreed that they loved the back of the cards. The light blue color gives a hint of the whimsy of the deck while keeping true to a more natural color palette. The silver foil is also present on the back, where it outlines a triple moon surrounded by the signs of the zodiac.

When it came down to it, though, I had a bit of difficulty actually reading with the Wild Lands Tarot. Shoman’s photography, as I’ve mentioned throughout this review, was stunning; however, I really struggled to visually connect the cards, possibly due to the lack of cohesion among images.

Overall, I feel that Wild Lands Tarot is best suited for people who prefer to use cards with surreal and whimsical imagery in their readings. Despite its lack of a single, cohesive theme, this deck brings a sense of beauty and nostalgia for all that once was, and all that could be. I, for one, am glad to have it in my collection to fulfill my longing for far-off places that I may never truly come to know.

Upside Down Tarot, by Joan Bunning

Upside Down Tarot: How Reversals Add Depth to Your Reading, by Joan Bunning
Red Wheel Weiser, 9781578638420, 176 pages, July 2024

When I saw the book Upside Down Tarot: How Reversals Add Depth to Your Reading by Joan Bunning, I knew I just had to have it. I’ve been reading tarot for about twenty years and was taught to “ignore” reversals by my first two teachers. What could this book teach me? How could these principles strengthen my own understanding of tarot and bring a new light to my readings? I brought these questions to my review of this book.

Bunning graduated from Cornell with a degree in social psychology and worked as a computer programmer and bookstore manager before becoming an author and editor. She has written five other books on tarot, including The Big Book of Tarot, which I also have in my library. In 1995, Bunning created a website to teach tarot basics: www.learntarot.com. Through the website, she supports thousands of people as they learn tarot. Bunning currently lives in Virginia with her husband.

This book is divided into two parts: “Part One: The Hidden Meaning of Reversals” and “Part Two: Reverse Card Descriptions”.

In her Introduction, Bunning carefully explains a little about the 78 cards in tarot, some of her experiences reading tarot, and her approach to reversed cards. She discusses the “energies” in reverse cards. She explains that these energies can be “absent, early phase or late phase.”¹¹ She goes on to explain:

“Upright cards stand for energies that are strong and well developed. They have a clear, active presence…. Reverse cards stand for energies that are absent, weak or undeveloped…. They are not clear and obvious…. An energy does not become its opposite when reversed. A card’s essential nature stays the same no matter what its orientation.”¹⁴

This makes so much sense to me! For years, any teacher I encountered who taught reversals said that a reverse card meant the opposite of the upright card, and I knew on a deep level that this was just not true! Bunning says that when we understand the “energy phase,”²⁰ we can better interpret or intuit the meaning of a reversed card within a spread.

The best clue to identifying the energy phase will come from an awareness of timing. A reversed card is in the early phase if you haven’t really experienced its energy yet. It may be new or tied to some upcoming event; a reverse card is late if you’ve already experienced its energy. It has been active in the situation in a way you can easily recognize but is now past. In the next section, she shares examples of both of these phases.

Bunning also discusses “absent” energy. “Its level is so low that, to all intents and purposes, it doesn’t exist. . . . The energy may be so new that you can’t perceive it yet.”²¹ She goes on to share that she is also including information on this “absent” energy for each reversed card, as well.

Next, Bunning goes into more detail regarding early phase and late phase, including questions to ask to figure out in which phase your reversed card may be found.

“Knowing that energy tends to repeat helps you appreciate the subtle shifts that occur at the reversed card stages.”²²

Finally, the author provides seven concrete steps to take to evaluate a reversed card. She follows the description of the steps with an example of a question about a problem at work. Bunning ends this discussion with stating, “These steps offer one way to discover the meaning of a card’s energy. The benefit of a strategy is that it helps you avoid floundering during interpretation.”²⁶ I appreciate that she also adds a note about how this system may seem “analytical.” However, she adds a reminder that the steps will become routine as you allow your intuition to guide you.

The next section includes two pages on each card in the Major Arcana. There are also black and white drawings of each card for reference. The deck featured is a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck. However, the book will complement readings for any deck that uses similar symbology or archetypes. Next, Bunning features commentary on each card in the Minor Arcana. Some cards include two pages and others include only one page of notes.

Note that each write-up also includes the Upright meanings for each card. From this description, Bunning pulls one to four key words or key phrases, listing them along with the Absent, Early, and Late meanings for each card.

To give the book a test drive, I devised a spread for learning more about a job offer that a friend of mine was awaiting (She texted me earlier in the day to inquire about this situation). I drew 3 cards for a spread I use often called “Mind, Body, Spirit”. I drew all 3 cards in reversed placement! (As my husband always says, “You can’t make up this stuff!”) The cards landed in this order for my spread:

Mind: The Magician – Reversed
Body: 4 of Cups – Reversed
Spirit: 10 of Wands Reversed

Following along with Bunning’s notes for each card, I created the following reading for my friend:

Your mind wants to “do” something, but you can’t take action right now. It’s time to withdraw and focus on your inner life. No need to struggle, because at this point, the struggle is with yourself. Allow your Spirit to guide you and take this time to rest and recharge.

I did a FaceTime with my friend, and she was smiling as I shared the message. She thanked me for confirming what she was feeling about being patient and waiting on the job offer.

It was interesting to me how the right key words seemed to leap off the page and I knew how to combine the notes for one cohesive reading.

Bunning’s writing is very easy to read and the book is easy to navigate. After reviewing the introduction and section on the concepts of the three phases of the energy of the cards, I was equipped to use the data for informing my readings. While I initially felt that there was a lot to cover for each card, my real-life experience showed me that when I used my intuition with the notes, the answers came easily.

The book is printed in black and white, including the card graphics. I feel that by using the black and white drawings, the card images take a secondary role and help the reader to remember the cards, rather than overshadow them. I like the fact that Bunning used visuals of Rider-Waite-Smith, which is one of the more widely used tarot decks.

I recommend Upside Down Tarot for tarot readers of all experience levels. A new reader will really benefit from the information to support any of their readings that contain reversals. Bunning explains reversals in an easy-to-understand style that takes a lot of the drama out of the equation. And for the more seasoned reader, the notes will add another layer to the guidance that they share. I highly recommend this book for tarot lovers and look forward to using it for my client readings.

Little Book of Neville Goddard Quotes, compiled by Jen McCarty

Little Book of Neville Goddard Quotes – The Pocket Guide to Mysticism, Manifestation and Imagination, compiled by Jen McCarty
Muse Oracle Press, 9780645885019, 290 pages, August 2024

Neville Goddard, a profoundly influential figure in the realm of metaphysical thought and spiritual teachings, left his mark on the world with his unique perspective on the power of the mind and imagination. Born on February 19, 1905 (Pisces!), in Barbados, Goddard grew up in a large family before moving to the United States to pursue his ambitions. It was in America that Neville embarked on a journey of spiritual and philosophical exploration, ultimately leading to the development of his central thesis: that the human imagination is God, and that individuals can manifest their desires into reality through the power of thought and belief.

Goddard’s teachings, which spanned over three decades from the 1930s to his death in 1972, emphasized the scriptural interpretation not as literal historical accounts, but as metaphors for inner psychological and spiritual truths. He urged his followers to practice the art of assuming the feeling of their wish fulfilled, positing that such a practice could lead to the manifestation of their desires. His lectures, books, and lessons, many of which he generously offered for free, centered around the practical applications of this philosophy, aiming to empower individuals to shape their reality through directed thought and imagination.

Neville Goddard’s legacy is a rich tapestry of spiritual insights and practical wisdom. His work continues to inspire and influence countless individuals seeking to unlock the power of their minds and achieve greater control over their lives. Despite the passage of time, Goddard’s teachings on the creative power of imagination and the interconnectedness of the human psyche and the divine remain as relevant and compelling today as they were during his lifetime.

Little Book of Neville Goddard Quotes – The Pocket Guide to Mysticism, Manifestation and Imagination compiled by Jen McCarty is a concise and thought-provoking collection that distills the essence of Neville Goddard’s teachings into bite-sized, easily digestible passages. This book captures the core of his philosophy through a carefully curated selection of quotes, making it an ideal introduction for newcomers as well as a handy reference for long-time followers.

In the introduction, in which McCarty describes the impact of Goddard on her spiritual path, she writes:

“When you realise that you are the sole operative power in the universe, you fully awaken to God consciousness. As God consciousness, you are never a victim of circumstances; you are always in creator mode.”²¹

Jen McCarty has done an admirable job in selecting quotes that encapsulate the transformative power of Goddard’s ideas. Each page offers a nugget of wisdom that encourages deep reflection and personal growth. She’s managed to search through a vast amount of material put forth by Goddard, gather the most meaningful quotes, and then organize them into chapters that make it easy to either read through sequentially or jump to passages that resonate with their current state of mind. This flexibility makes the book not just a one-time read, but a timeless companion for those on a journey of self-discovery and manifestation. There’s twenty-eight chapters of different quote types, ranging from “Inner Speech” to “Mental Diet”. The more religious chapters include “The Bible”, “The Father”, “Christ”, and “Shepard”.

Admittedly, some of the content might seem a little dated to the modern spiritual seeker, as Goddard’s thoughts are a bit at odds with current trends (all the quotes refer to man rather than woman, so I can’t help but notice the gender bias). The antiquated quotes on bride and groom especially made my husband and me chuckle. I also struggled a bit to connect with all the biblical language, often referring to Christ and God. Yet there’s still so much to be gained from learning this philosophy, even if it’s outside the normal realm of one’s spiritual studies.

What sets this book apart is its accessibility. Goddard’s teachings, while profound, can sometimes be dense and complex. McCarty’s selection simplifies these concepts without losing their depth, making it easier for readers to grasp and apply them in their daily lives. Whether you are seeking inspiration, affirmation, or a deeper understanding of the power within you, Little Book of Neville Goddard Quotes serves as a compact yet powerful guide to transforming your thoughts and, consequently, your reality.

My favorite quotes is in the chapter “Imagination”:

“It is a marvelous thing to discover that you can imagine yourself into the state of your fulfilled desire and escape from the taps the ignorance has built. The real man is a magnificent imagination, and it is this self that must be awakened.”³²

And for those who consider themselves reality manifestors, there’s so much guidance on how to perfect your process. Here’s another quote that really resonated with me and gave me the confidence to live as though my wishes have already been fulfilled:

“Put yourself in the proper mood, and your own consciousness will embody it. If I could define prayer for anyone and put it as clearly as I could, I would simply say it is the feeling of the wish fulfilled. If you asked, “What do you mean by that?” I would say I would feel myself into the situation of the answered prayer, and then I would live and act upon the conviction. I will try to sustain it without effort. That is, I would live and act as though it was already a fact, knowing that as I walk into this fixed attitude, my vision will harden into reality.”³³

Overall, Little Book of Neville Goddard Quotes is well suited for readers who are interested in the New Thought movement, which emphasizes the power of positive thinking and the idea that one’s thoughts and beliefs can shape their experience. This is a great read from a historical context to better understand the roots of manifestation mindset. Whether or not you resonate with the Christian terminology, the potency of Goddard’s inner knowledge shines through. It might take a little bit of time for the quotes to sink in, but reading through makes one feel empowered and in control of their potential. This book is a wonderful reminder that we are sacred creators, and when we align ourselves with a higher power, all we desire can be ours.

Daily Light Affirmation Deck, by Joanna Hunter

Daily Light Affirmation Deck, by Joanna Hunter and illustrated by Stephanie Wicker-Campbell
Muse Oracle Press, 9780645885033, 60 cards, August 2024

With her Daily Light Affirmation Deck, Joanna Hunter combines vibrant light codes and beautiful art with positive affirmations to support you. These divine messages can guide your daily activities or be used as a prompt for morning journaling.

Hunter is a teacher, author, speaker, podcast host and intuitive life and business coach. She is also High Priestess of the transformative group she calls Lightweb®. Hunter transitioned from marketing executive to spiritual coach after a major health scare several years ago. She channels a group of beings she calls Skyler and carries the sacred Codex of Light™ teachings. She serves as a spiritual guide for transformation and ascension.

Hunter has written two other books and published a previous oracle deck on abundance. After being born in Sweden, she moved to the Scottish Highlands at the age of 9. She lives in Scotland today and balances her spiritual work with her life as a mom and wife. Learn more about her at her website.

Stephanie Wicker-Campbell is a gifted illustrator and designer, who has illustrated Oracle decks, journals and book covers. She is also a keynote speaker and author in her own right. In a recent post, she expresses that she is stepping back from design work and focusing more on her publishing house, Muse Oracle Press. Wicker-Campbell resides in Australia. Learn more about her projects here.

What really interests me about this deck is the beautiful artwork of light codes, which can only be described as divinely inspired. Each card is designed with a beautiful pastel palette and a bright light that radiates from the center of each design. As I flip through the deck, I quickly notice that each card design is unique, with no two designs repeating. The quotes on each card are printed in gold and are brief enough to capture in your heart and mind and then take with you during your day.

There are two extra cards in the deck. One provides a bit of information about Hunter and a QR code to connect with the publishing house to learn more. The other card is double-sided and contains a personal note from Hunter that includes how best to work with the cards. She talks about shuffling the deck or placing the cards in some type of vessel and “gently swirling them.”³⁴ I’ve learned many ways to shuffle decks, but I have never heard of placing the cards in a bowl or box and moving them around. I’m going to use my singing bowl and try this! She goes on to suggest:

“Allow serenity to wash over you, then draw a card – your affirmation for the day awaits. Let this affirmation dance through your day or pour your heart into journaling its significance to you.”³⁵

At my monthly lunch with friends, I fanned out the cards and asked each friend to set an intention, form a silent prayer, or ask a question before selecting a card. One friend had an important choice to make about her business. She drew this card:

“I always make the choices that align me with happiness and greatness.”

Another friend had upcoming minor surgery. She read this quote:

“I love being healthy and wealthy.”

She also told me later about a silent prayer to resolve a financial issue. She received a 2 for 1!

For myself, I asked for support for a family issue I am struggling with. This is the message I received:

“I love feeling courageous and I choose to stand up for myself.”

I invited each woman to take a photo of her card and refer to it daily for the next week. One woman said she was going to make it her phone wallpaper!

The cards are square, much the same size as a drink coaster. They are printed on nice cardstock with rounded corners and gold edging. The paper has a nice matte coating with a satin finish on both sides. It’s very relaxing to hold the smooth cards and flip through the deck. Again, the stunning light codes seem to leap off each card and speak directly to my heart and soul. The cards feature a mix of pastel colors, with a light beaming from each one, as if Hunter is opening a portal into the Divine. The entire deck is very calming and affirming.

The deck comes in a beautiful heavyweight box that is only about an inch thick, making it the perfect size to tuck into a purse or bag. Inside the deck is a beautiful invocation:

“May daily light infuse your days and years with infinite blessings.”³⁶

Daily Light Affirmation Deck is great for anyone who wants to set the tone for her day with a positive affirmation. I plan to keep them on my desk for a few weeks and draw a card each day, as part of my daily practice. I can also see how holding one while I meditate can infuse me with the energy from the light codes and further instill the affirmation. I will also be carrying these in a bag to share with friends at lunch or my Friday coffee and cards group. I absolutely love these cards and the positive messages that they embody!

As Hunter says:

“Remember, inviting in more light and joy need not be a daunting endeavor; it can be as effortless as this daily ritual. Each affirmation is a stepping stone, gracefully guiding your life toward the realm of infinite possibilities within the light that surrounds us.”³⁷

Daily Light Gratitude Journal, by Joanna Hunter

Daily Light Gratitude Journal: A Radiant Guide to Infusing Your Life with Positivity and Purpose, by Joanna Hunter and illustrated by Stephanie Wicker-Campbell
Muse Oracle Press, 9780645885057, 200 pages, August 2024

In the Daily Light Gratitude Journal: A Radiant Guide to Infusing Your Life with Positivity and Purpose, Joanna Hunter channels beautiful messages from the collective consciousness she calls Skyler. She adds quotes from visionaries and thought leaders to serve as journal prompts or touchstones to light your way.

Hunter is a teacher, author, speaker, podcast host, and intuitive life and business coach. She is also High Priestess of the transformative group she calls Lightweb®. Hunter transitioned from marketing executive to spiritual coach after a major health scare several years ago. She channels a group of beings she calls Skyler and carries the sacred Codex of Light™ teachings. She serves as a spiritual guide for transformation and ascension.

Hunter has written four other books and published an oracle deck. After being born in Sweden, she moved to the Scottish Highlands at the age of 9. She lives in Scotland today and balances her spiritual work with her life as a mom and wife. Learn more about her at her website.

Stephanie Wicker-Campbell is a gifted illustrator and designer, who has illustrated oracle decks, journals, and book covers. She is also a keynote speaker and author in her own right. In a recent post, she expresses that she is stepping back from design work and focusing more on her publishing house, Muse Oracle Press. Wicker-Campbell resides in Australia. You can learn more about her current projects here.

This journal is a hardback version, and the cover features the stunning imagery of a portal of light that invites you to enter and record your gratitude journey. Hunter dedicates the book to “the light seekers and light players of this world.”³⁵ She then invites you to add your name to the next page and create some intentions for your work with this special gratitude journal. The Forward includes a letter from Hunter and Skyler that explains her goals with this journal. She encourages you to reflect and journal daily as you record your gratitude statements:

“Gratitude connects us to the Daily Light. The more we can connect to our daily light, the happier we become and the more present we become in our lives dash now. Gratitude is the key.”³⁸

Hunter divides the journal into five sections, using a full color, double page spread for each one, which speaks to that section’s theme that follows:

Gratitude for the past
Gratitude for the lesson’s life has taught
Gratitude for the now
Gratitude for what we are calling in
Gratitude reframes

On these pages, she shares quotes from thought leaders and affirmations as well as a brief discussion of how to best utilize the journal for this part of the journey. The verbiage is printed on the beautiful, encoded artwork that also features a person, bird, or an animal, such as a monk, an owl, or tiger. These elements are added to the vibrant artwork, in a type of layering or collage process that allows the light codes to shine through and the rest of the symbols to play a secondary role. Some of the words on key pages inside, as well as the cover title and subtitle, is designed and printed to look like gold, but it’s not metallic. Rather, the designer used a dual-color process to mimic the shadow and light aspects of gold ink.

While the book is 200 pages, there are 156 pages of lined space for recording your daily gratitude, thoughts, impressions or epiphanies. She also mixes into each section six single pages of a stunning, light-encoded portal, on which you may focus to start your journaling. Within the sections, Hunter includes journal prompts at the top of each right-hand page. She sprinkles thoughtful quotes throughout the lined pages of the journal. For each section, there are about 30 pages available for journaling, making this a perfect tool for a five-month gratitude journey.

At the back of the journal, Hunter shares a section called “How to use affirmations.” Here she discusses something she calls “The game of liar ping pong.” This is where you say an affirmation like “I am healthy.” Then your brain says, “Oh no you’re not!” And reminds you of the nachos you just ate! Next, she provides a reframe for this ongoing “ping pong game” with yourself. She also shares her favorite ways to use affirmations and how to best word affirmations for greater success.

My favorite section of this journal is the last one, which is called “Gratitude Reframe.” Within this section, Hunter and Skyler challenge you to use reframes to speak your truth and reframe your past lessons for more success in all areas of your life:

“Reframes plus gratitude are a powerful combination that will help you shift your energy and align it with your deepest desires and of course more Daily Light.”³⁹

This journal is a nice size (6” X 9”) and is printed on good quality paper stock that prevents bleed-through with daily use. The edges of the paper are accented with gold foil. As shared earlier, all the artwork is printed in four-color, and the lined pages and journal prompts and quotes are printed in a light gray. I really like this feature, because the writing on these pages doesn’t detract from the book’s primary function as a journal. The prompts at the top of the pages are printed in a cursive font, which invites you into the journaling process. There is also a silky gold ribbon to use as a placeholder. I love it when the author includes a ribbon!

On the back cover, Hunter invites in the reader with this message:

“As you traverse the pages of this sacred journal, allow the divine visuals to awaken your soul, fostering a deeper connection to the gratitude of your existence. . . Illuminate your daily path with the radiance of gratitude affirmations and inspiring quotes to elevate your spirit.”⁴⁰

Anyone who is interested in making gratitude and journaling a regular part of their spiritual practice will benefit from Daily Light Gratitude Journal. Even someone who is unfamiliar with a gratitude practice will enjoy the section guides and journal prompts. Hunter really takes you by the hand and introduces you to the concepts in an easy-to-understand way. I plan to use this for my daily journaling practice for the next five months, adding my daily card draw to the notes I write. I highly recommend this journal for its beautiful, light-encoded imagery, the uplifting affirmations and the easy-to-navigate structure.

Dance of the Sun Goddess, by Kenneth Johnson

Dance of the Sun Goddess: Pagan Folkways of the Baltic Coast, by Kenneth Johnson
Crossed Crow Books, 1959883240, 220 pages, March 2024

The eastern shores of the Baltic Sea glitter with amber, the golden tears of petrified resin shed by prehistoric pines. Nicknamed the Amber Coast, this magical region was the last part of Europe to be converted to Christianity, and forgotten pagan traditions, preserved in the lullabies of folk songs, rock its gilded cradle.

In Dance of the Sun Goddess: Pagan Folkways of the Baltic Coast, author Kenneth Johnson introduces readers to a vivacious pantheon of Baltic deities whose powers can be invoked with sacred trees and beautiful sigils that may be painted or carved on wood. Johnson draws pagan lore from Baltic folk songs to reconstruct the pre-Christian beliefs of the Latvians and Lithuanians.

Johnson is a professional astrologer who has a B.A. in Comparative Religions and an M.A. in Eastern Studies, and he has written several books paganism, astrology, and magic, including Jaguar Wisdom: An Introduction to the Mayan Calendar, Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey, and Flight of the Firebird: Slavic Magical Wisdom and Lore.

While Johnson is not of Baltic descent, he is passionate about sharing the mythology and folk practices of the Amber Coast with the world because of what they reveal to us about authentic European paganism. In the “Author’s Note” at the beginning of the book, he explains that the Lithuanian language is the closest living relative to the ancient Proto-Indo-European language.

“This original language had its own religion, and this vanished faith has been the origin of all our Pagan mythologies—Greek, Latin, Norse, Celtic, Slavic, and Baltic,”⁴⁰ Johnson says. Like a prehistoric insect fossilized in an amber coffin, these root pagan beliefs have been preserved in the living language and active folk practices of the Baltic lands, giving us a rare glimpse into the past.

In “Part I: The World Tree,” Johnson introduces readers to the Baltic vision of the cosmos. Heathen readers will be delighted to learn that Baltic paganism bears many striking similarities to Norse mythology, beginning with the Latvian World Tree, called the “Tree of Dawn,” which resembles the Nordic Yggdrasil.⁴¹ The Tree of Dawn is invisible to mortal eyes. It is a bridge between heaven and earth, and only the gods and Baltic shamans can see it. In a Latvian folk song Johnson shares, the Tree of Dawn is poetically described as an iridescent rose that lifts one to heaven upon its ascending petals. This multi-colored rose may remind readers of Bifröst, the shimmering Rainbow Bridge that leads to Asgard, the realm of the gods, in Norse mythology.

Parts II and III introduce readers to the Baltic pantheon of deities, nature spirits, and folk heroes. As indicated by the book’s title, Dance of the Sun Goddess, the Baltic deity of the sun is the life-giving goddess named Saulė, while Mėnuo is the god of the moon. Saulė is one of the most important deities in the Baltic pantheon, since she sustains all life on this planet. The magical amber that sparkles on the Baltic shores is a gift of the sun goddess, and in the Bronze Age, it was the Baltic equivalent of gold, bringing prosperity through trade. Other prominent deities include Dievas, the Sky Father; Perkūnas, the god of thunder, who resembles the Norse god Thor; Velnias, the Lord of the Underworld; Žemyna, the earth goddess; and Laima, the goddess of Fate.

In the Baltic worldview, the gods are intimately associated with trees.

“Too often, we walk past a magnificent tree without even looking up from our cell phones, unaware that we are in the presence of Laima, whose sacred tree is a linden, or Perkūnas, whose tree is the stately oak,” says Johnson.⁴²

Throughout the book, Johnson includes several magical workings that help keep readers mindful of the divinity in nature. For example, as a magical working for honoring Milda, the goddess of love and indolence, in the month of May, Johnson suggests readers “take a vacation from work and relax among the flowers and the trees as her contemporary devotees do.”⁴³

An appendix at the end of the book provides nineteen Baltic sigils and guidance on how to use them to invoke the blessings of the gods. One of these beautiful sigils is Perkūnas’s “Cross of Thunder,”⁴⁴ which protects one’s home and family, and may be carved or painted on the door of a house or barn.

Most of these deities were unfamiliar to me, so it was a real treat to learn a new pantheon. One of my favorite Baltic goddesses is now Medeina, a beautiful forest maiden with green hair who is the Lithuanian version of Artemis/Diana. Like her Greco-Roman counterpart, she is a chaste huntress who haunts the wilderness, accompanied by an entourage of hares and wolves, her most sacred animals. Even though she is a huntress, it is the animals she protects, not human hunters, and sometimes she shapeshifts into a wolf to defend her pack. Her Latvian name is Meža Māte,”the Mother of the Forest.”⁴⁵

I have a preference for chthonic deities, so I found the Baltic Underworld to be particularly fascinating. It is ruled by the Lithuanian deity Velnias, whose name is etymologically derived from the word vele, meaning “the dead,”⁴⁶ and “his world is the world which lies in the tangled roots of the great tree, the world of darkness and the dead.”⁴⁷ According to Johnson, the Underworld mirrors our realm. “It even has its own World Mountain, Mt. Anapils, and this is where Velnias dwells, just as Dievas dwells upon Sky Mountain in the world above the great tree,”⁴⁸ Johnson says.

Although the Christians associated Velnias with the Devil, his role in Baltic mythology was far more complex. “Velnias is a world maker,”⁴⁹ Johnson says. The creation of the world was a joint effort by the Sky Father Dievas and the Underworld Lord Velnias, “the two opposite polarities of life and death working together.”⁵⁰ However, Dievas plays a passive role, and his will is carried out by his son Perkūnas, the temperamental Thunder God, who sometimes lashes out at Velnias when they don’t see eye to eye. Velnias escapes the wrath of Perkūnas by slinking in the shadows and hiding beneath stones or in the hollows of trees.

Being a shapeshifter, Velnias is a master of beasts, and since humans may reincarnate as animals, he is also lord of the dead who have been reborn in bestial form. I was particularly fascinated by this aspect of his character because it reminds me of the Devil card in tarot, and the bestial nature of both the Devil and Adam and Eve, who are depicted with tails. I was aware that shapeshifting can be a metaphor for dying in fairy tales, but it didn’t occur to me to link the Devil with humans reincarnating as beasts until I read about Velnias.

Ragana, the goddess of witches, is the Baltic Baba Yaga. Just as Velnias diametrically opposes the Sky Father, the winter goddess Ragana is the counterbalance to the celestial fire of Saulė, who must be banished on the summer solstice so that her life-giving powers do not overwhelm the earth with greenery and sweltering heat. Likewise, Saulė must regain her strength to break the dark spell of winter that binds the earth in chains of ice. At the winter solstice, Velnias leads an army of the dead and conquers the forces of darkness so that Saulė can return to thaw the frozen land. This divine tug of war between the forces of light and darkness spins the wheel of the year.

In the chapter on “Nature Spirits,” one of the most intriguing Lithuanian fairies is the aitvaras, a house spirit that looks like a rooster with a fiery tail when it is inside the house, and takes the form of a dragon or a meteorite when it streaks the countryside, stealing grain and gold for its master.⁵¹ While the aitvaras is a source of prosperity for the household, it can also bring misfortune if the theft is exposed.

In “Part IV: The Wheel of Life,” Johnson guides readers through the Baltic wheel of the year, the seasonal festivals, and the Old Prussian zodiac. I was fascinated to learn that Cancer, the sign of the Crab in Western astrology, is called Azē, meaning “The Goat” in Prussian, and takes on the qualities of Capricorn, the Sea-goat, the opposite sign of Cancer, because “this is the time when Saulė has reached her fullness and is turned back upon her course by Ragana the Witch Goddess.”⁵²

According to Lithuanian folklore, every person has a star in the heavens that appears when they are born and watches over them like a guardian angel. When they die, that star guides them through the Otherworld. In other star lore, the Big Dipper is “The Wagon of Perkūnas”⁵³ and Polaris is his goat.

The deities and spirits I have shared here are just a sampling of the rich and vibrant pantheon of the Amber Coast, and any lover of mythology will relish in the pages of this book. The detailed descriptions of festivals and sigils will also enable readers to incorporate Baltic traditions and magical workings into their personal pagan practices as they celebrate the eternal Dance of the Sun Goddess.

Yoga and the Five Elements, by Nicole Goott

Yoga and the Five Elements: Spiritual Wisdom for Everyday Living, by Nicole Goott
Mantra Books, 978-1803412672, 208 pages, December 2023

“The five elements of earth, water, fire, air and space are easily recognizable as forces existing around us all the time. As with the axion, we are a microcosm of a larger macrocosm, this is true of the five elements existing not only around us in the Natural world but also within us, in both physical and metaphysical terms.¹

Yoga and the Five Elements: Spiritual Wisdom for Everyday Living by Nicole Goott is an interesting read that focuses on Eastern practices but can be seamlessly woven into any spiritual practice to make a deeper connection to a fivefold-structure of being. The book is separated into twelve chapters and covers from start to finish a well-structured plan of approach to the subject matter.

This thoughtful manner of disseminating information is carried out from the start with the addition of a few pages of note regarding Sanskrit and transliteration.This little addition offers accessibility to all regardless of your familiarity with the terminology commonly found in Eastern studies and practices.

Goott provides the reader background in the Introduction for her seeking of the origins of the five elements as applied to Indian philosophy. I appreciated her story of searching in Martial Arts practices, Ayurvedic disciplines, Hatha Yoga, as well as Tantric and Vedic literature. This demonstrates a well-intentioned approach rather than the cursory attempts at finding overlays and connections that may not truly be found.

The concluding sections (of more than 20+ pages) are supportive of those readers wishing to explore further and are inclusive of References, Further Reading, a robust Bibliography, Glossary and Index; something not always included as a source of quick reference for a title such as this.

Chapters 1-3, covering subtle bodies, cosmic principles, and the five elements, are invaluable resources and lay a dense and comprehensible foundation before moving out into deeper exploration of each of the five elements separately. Chapters dedicated to related concepts and knowledge can be found in “Chapter 7: Mind”, “Chapter 9: Karma”, and “Chapter 10: Space”. Finally, all that has been learned in previous chapters is integrated and put into practical application with “Chapter 11: Balancing the Elements” and “Chapter 12: Heart Consciousness”.

I especially enjoyed “Chapter 9: Karma” and the way in which Goott has interwoven a concept that has many interpretations and levels of understanding. She dispels the common thoughts around karma and proposes that it is not something over which we have no control because of the “bad “ or “good “ stuff we did. Instead she gives a very hopeful definition:

“Using the analogy of an apple tree… the causal chain begins with a seed (thought) like the seed of an apple (form). This seed is full of potential , holding within itself the possibility to create a new tree (manifested form). It may or may not germinate if the conditions required are not present….when a seed does take root, all the potential that was dormant now begins to ripen. A tree is born (results).”⁴¹

She then aligns karma with the element of fire in its aspect as the “light of illumination, wisdom and higher knowledge or insight”⁴². This reminds the reader of our nature as creator of our own realities and consequential scenarios.

Goott provides charts of comparison of the elements and approach throughout the book, supporting a broader perspective of mind that is not simply limited to the Vedic practices. There are exercises, questions, journaling suggestions and more to allow the reader true experiential moments of the five elements and how their dynamics change depending on the context. And, adequate reference is given to writers such as Annie Besant and the Theosophical spin on the elements, and their use.

Would I Recommend?

Yoga and the Five Elements is an important read intended to be digested, integrated, put into action and then returned to frequently. Regardless of spiritual practice, the broad approach to the fundamental organic make-up of humanity, the world we inhabit and the Cosmos of which we are a part, provide the tools for stepping more fully into who we are meant to be, especially now as we stand at a crossroads as a species that has increasingly become disconnected from ourselves and others. The quote below beautifully sums up the reasons why this book and its studies are so important, particularly now:

“We can embrace the lessons we are given or resist them. The degree to which we embrace each step along our path determines the level of satisfaction and joy we experience…the more that each of us wakes up to the realization that we are so much more than the brain’s chemical processes and imperfect body, the greater the possibility for the collective consciousness to rise to its fullest potential.”⁴⁶

About the Author: Nicole Goott

Goott is a teacher, author, advisor, and spiritual healer motivated to guide others in their journey of self-discovery and how to live a joy-filled life. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nicole moved to the United States when she was twenty-four years old. For two decades she has studied Yoga, Ayurveda, and related healing arts practices, as well as mindfulness-based approaches to self-healing. Learn more about Nicole’s work at her website.