Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

A Practical Guide to Magic in Nature, by Jessica Lahoud

A Practical Guide to Magic in Nature, by Jessica Lahoud
Rockpool Publishing, 1922786497, 256 pages, July 2025

A Practical Guide to Magic in Nature by Jessica Lahoud is an enchanting exploration of the natural world through the lens of magic and spirituality. Lahoud invites readers to discover the mystical aspects of nature and learn how to incorporate them into their daily lives, teaching readers correspondences and connections to enhance their understanding of energetic properties . Covering a variety of topics and beautifully animated with brilliant illustrations, this lovely reference guide is a grounding reminder of the magic that can be found all around for those who open their eyes to see it.

“My hope is that this is the book you reach for when you are formulating your spells, the book that you reference when making sense of a magical experience you’ve had in nature, and the book you turn to when an animal messengers spears in a dream.”1

Sectioned into six parts, this book explores the material magic of earth and potent celestial influence of planets and stars, ultimately integrating both to introduce readers to their own personal agency and energy centers. This holistic approach brings a resonance of harmony and balance, merging the magic of land and sky within oneself to enhance one’s understanding of their place within the marvelous universe.

“Part 1: Crystals” includes a lovely introduction to crystal healing, which teaches readers how to care for and use their crystals. There is a whole crystal profile guide, spanning over 40 pages, that shares the corresponding organ/meridian, chakra, element for hundreds of crystals. The list also includes the Moss hardness and properties associated with the crystal. For each one, Lahoud shares a few sentences about how the crystal is best used. She also shares crystal combinations for a variety of desired effects (health and healing, joy, luck, balance). This would be perfect for making a little crystal bag to carry with you!

Next, “Part 2: Plant Magic” familiarizes readers with plant magic, focusing on the myriad of ways one can connect with the essence of plants: tea, essential oil blends, aromatherapy, cooking, tending to house plants, and so on. Similar to the crystal section, this section has plant profiles for herbs and spices, flowers and shrubs, fruits and vegetables, and roots, resins and woods. Within each profile, Lahoud highlights the corresponding celestial body, day, element, and chakra. She also shares the botanical name, whether the energy of the plant is active or nurturing, and magical powers of the plants, along with a few sentence description of how it is often used.

There is so much packed into this section! I really enjoyed learning about the fruit and vegetable energy profiles, as these are foods I eat on a regular basis. Avocado toast has been my go-to for breakfast, and it was fascinating to learn avocado is associated with Venus and the heart chakra. This is how Lahoud describes the usefulness of avocado:

“Avocado is associated with love and beauty. This nourishing fruit promotes good health and a strong heart, useful for attracting love and romance. Its richness is symbolic of its bountiful energy, useful for promoting abundance and prosperity.”2

Following suit, “Part 3: Animals” also shares a lengthy list of animal symbolism. Lahoud writes, “Animals are magical creatures of nature, and therefore they also often bring their own messages to you, guided by their innate wisdom.”3 In her list of over 50 animals, she shares keywords associated with the animal along with a message from the animal. Whether the animal appears to you in a dream or you feel called to know more about a certain animal, this section is extremely helpful in interpreting the message the animal spirit has for you. Some animals even include a ritual (ex. Chicken Wishbone Ritual) or recipe (Beeswax Candle Making).

Now that Lahoud has provided in-depth profiles of Earth’s natural magic, she turns towards the celestial bodies that influence readers magically too. “Part 4: Celestial Bodies” provides profiles for the planets in our solar system as well as the Sun and Moon. Each profile provides the corresponding day, color, element, metal, zodiac sign, angels and gods, plants, crystals, organs, and chakra with the celestial body. There’s also a few descriptive sentences about the body’s essence. The profiles for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, however, only include some of the profile correspondences since they are newer discoveries. This section also delves into moon phases for further insights.

“Part 5: The Elements” introduces each element, and then Lahoud teaches how one can work with them by noting ways to connect with the element and associations (tarot symbol, zodiac sign, color, season, and chakra). This is the briefest section, but it still yields useful guidance.

Finally, “Part 6: The Magic in You” brings different energy tools together to teach readers how to be more attuned to their own magic within. I love how Lahoud frames this:

“Recognizing the magic in nature is a step towards understanding your own magic. Just as the universe is a vast cosmos of stardust, water, carbon and more, you too are composed of these same fundamental elements. This is a kind of cosmic kinship.”4

In this section, she teaches how to clear one’s energy and tools one can use (pendulum, candles, crystals) for this purpose. Lahoud then delves into the chakras, providing a profile that shares their corresponding organ, day, planet, color, and an affirmation, along with ways to balance one’s chakras. She also shares profiles for the medians, or “invisible pathways in your body that carry life-force energy,”5, nothing whether they are yin or yang and the corresponding emotions, elements, season, color, timing, and foods that support the meridian. Lastly, there’s a page dedicated to the meaning of different aura colors.

While this book is clearly filled with so much useful information, what really makes it stand out is the many illustrations throughout that make the text feel alive. The illustrations provide immensely pleasing visual stimulation and make it so the text never feels dense or overwhelming. It’s one thing to read the word, but it’s a whole other level to see it come to life on the page. This book is a true beauty, drawing the reader back to it again and again.

Overall, A Practical Guide to Magic in Nature is a delightful addition to the library of anyone interested in the intersection of nature and spirituality. Lahoud has made this book a one-stop reference guide that is so detailed and inclusive readers will have all they need within it. There’s so many ways one can use this book, whether they simply want to learn more about the natural world or are looking to deepen their magical practice by furthering their knowledge of correspondences. The balance between practicality and spirituality makes it a wonderful resource for nature lovers and nature-based magic practitioners alike. All who read this book will surely enjoy the vivid depictions of the natural world and the treasure trove of wisdom imparted throughout.

Folklore Oracle, by Hadas Knox and Giada Rose

Folklore Oracle, by Hadas Knox and illustrated by Giada Rose
Rockpool Publishing, 1922786160, 112 pages, 44 cards, July 2025

Ready for charming yet profound insights? If so, Folklore Oracle by Hadas Knox and beautifully illustrated by Giada Rose is a swoon-worthy deck that you’ll want to add to your collection! This oracle is a perfect blend of folklore, symbolism, and wise guidance, bringing together themes from the age-old stories that capture one’s imagination and sing to the soul. The mixture of lore and art invites readers to divine through the enchantment of beloved cross-cultural stories that have taken on a life of their own, retold again and again to each generation.

“Using the language and imagery of folklore and folk wisdom that stretches back through recorded time to a numinous past, when each object not only possessed its own practical function but was the embodiment of an archetype with the force of collective wisdom behind it, this deck asks you to explore how you might lean more deeply into the questions in your life.”6

“Using the language and imagery of folklore and folk wisdom that stretches back through recorded time to a numinous past, when each object not only possessed its own practical function but was the embodiment of an archetype with the force of collective wisdom behind it, this deck asks you to explore how you might lean more deeply into the questions in your life.”7

As for the oracle images on each card, they all draw readers deeper into the story, theme, motif, or symbol being portrayed. The deck is rich with symbolism, both in the choice of card names and imagery, which Rose had brilliantly visually translated for readers to further explore the depths of their psyche while gazing at the card drawn. The mixture of black and white with vivid, bold colors adds further layers of contrast, jaxapositioning where the card lands and the insights spurred on by the process of absorbing the card’s details. At the bottom of each card is a question one can ponder, making it so there’s some reflection before moving onto the guidebook.

In the beginning of the guidebook, Knox provides an introduction along with guidance on how to use the cards, sharing three different spreads for inspiration. Each entry features the card’s name and number along with an image of the card and the question it asks readers. There’s then sections The Lore, Meaning, and Diving Deep, where Knox further illuminates the message coming through. The lore section provides contextual information about the card, which ranges from how the card often appears in folklore to history to superstition. The meaning section gives an overall message, and then the deeper dive goes just a bit further for insight and reflection. All together, the entry provides plenty of revelation and food for thought.

I do appreciate Knox’s style and approach to the guidebook entries. They’re a nice blend of folklore tidbits coupled with insightful commentary on the divinatory message. The meanings are not superficial; they call for readers to have courage and truly delve into the questions on their mind, taking stock of where they’re at within. In the introduction, Knox notes the cards avoid “shying way from the darker aspects of humanity’s shared past”8, and thus the messages reflect the full range of emotions that come through in the potent stories told through the ages. Knox’s insights into the meaning and symbolism of the cards in the guidebook is thoughtful and thought-provoking, encouraging readers to reflect on their own beliefs and experiences, fostering new revelations.

I also really enjoy the variety of cards: The Well, Stolen Child, Mirror, Ghosts, Broomstick, Curse, Salt, Garden. All of them call to mind aspects of a myriad of folklore stories I can recall having an impact on me. Knox does a great job weaving the symbol or motif into the broad archetypes of these stories while also pinpointing the message they have to share with us in oracle form. This spectrum of grand life lessons absorbed by vast populations to meaningful insights meant just for us is a really neat aspect of the deck, as these folktales resonate differently with each of us while still appealing to the collective psyche.

So far, all the readings I’ve done with this deck have been very insightful. After a particularly stressful few days, I asked the cards for spiritual guidance. The card I pulled was Fever. This card asked me, “What needs to be burned away?”9 And the folklore Knox shares about fevers is that they can be a “catalyst for an alchemical transformation.”10 As for the meaning of the card, Knox notes this might be a time of suffering but that within the flames it is possible to “stand in the games and let them wash over you”11 to “rise from the ashes and be born anew.”12. I especially loved this quote from the Deeper Meaning section of the guidebook:

“What if, instead of a force responsible for your undoing, the fire you stand in is evidence of your strength, your capacity to emerge with a purged soul and renewed faith in your own ability to heal?”13

I felt a burst of strength from reading this card. The message of guidance shook me out of a funk and made me feel bold and empowered amid the heat I was feeling. I really appreciated the shift in perspective Knox’s word provided, and it instantly shifted my internal monologue from a woe-is-me floundering stress-ball to courageous alchemist in the midst of a transformation. Powerful stuff!

Overall, Folklore Oracle is a beautifully crafted deck that invites readers into a world where the magical and the mundane are intertwined, leaving a lasting impression on the imagination and the soul just like the folklore symbols and motifs featured in this deck. Knox’s guidance goes deep and brings forth meaningful messages for the readers, while Rose’s enchanting illustrations stimulate the psyche and provide beautiful oracle visions. Those who enjoy folklore, fairy tales, and mystical enchantment will appreciate this deck, as well as readers who enjoy detailed introspective guidance for self-reflection and transformation. This deck is a real work of art!

Shamanic Healing for Toxic Relationships, by Stefan Limmer

Shamanic Healing for Toxic Relationships: Dissolve Old Soul Contracts and Retrieve Lost Soul Parts, by Stefan Limmer
Findhorn Press, 979-8888502495, 192 pages, April 2025

Stefan Limmer’s Shamanic Healing for Toxic Relationships: Dissolve Old Soul Contracts and Retrieve Lost Soul Parts provides rich, informative, and actionable instructions to access deep insight about how to heal our souls at the core level. 

To begin, Limmer walks readers through basic understanding and components of a toxic relationship, how to recognize one, and outlines the roles of the parties involved in this type of relationship. He then dives into the causes of why these relationships exist at a fundamental soul level. Finally, Limmer provides actionable rituals and practices for addressing the causes of toxic relationships, teaching how to dissolve these contracts and move into healthy relationships that bring freedom and, ultimately, love. 

This book holds a depth of instruction that makes it a diamond in the rough of self-help/self-transformation books. Not only does Limmer identify the core issues at the soul level, but he also delves into the potential causes of these subconscious wounds with clear, concise, and thorough explanation of how and why these wounds impact us as well as how they manifest in our conscious life and experiences.

In one of the most enlightening sections, entitled “Soul Issues and Soul Wounds – The Real Causes of Toxic Relationships”, Limmer discusses the Shamanic model of human consciousness. He breaks consciousness down into four levels that “interpenetrate and are interwoven” and consist of “the ordinary reality of the middle world, the mom-ordinary reality of the middle world, the upper world, and the lower world.”7 According to Limmer, this explanation creates the foundation for understanding the human experience, especially regarding the healing of wounds.

The reader does not need to have a prior knowledge of shamanic principles to benefit from this book; Limmer provides the structure of shamanic beliefs necessary to gain profound insight into the workings of the soul and soul healing. The shamanic principles he provides transcend religion/spiritual beliefs and truly target the underlying trials and tribulations of the human experience. However, an open mindset and willingness to learn is an excellent way to approach this book!

One of the most helpful aspects of this book is the rituals offered in the final section of the book. Limmer, in his enlightening style, explains how, when, and why to engage in specific rituals with days to follow guidance.

During the course of reading this book, I could not help but make connections with other books that I have read which added to the richness of Limmer’s message, such as Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss. In addition, having my favorite tarot deck nearby helped make connections between the shamanic interpretation of archetypes and my current spiritual understanding of archetypes.

Overall, the warmth, acceptance, and guidance that Limmer offers in Shamanic Heaing for Toxic Relationships makes the emotionally difficult content easier to accept and digest. Having this gentle wisdom through the tears of acknowledgment and acceptance makes the healing and growth a little easier. This book is good for individuals who have experienced a toxic relationship and who are at any stage of the aftermath from early acknowledgement to later acceptance.

The Magical Notary Art, by Frater Barrabbas

The Magical Notary Art: Sigils, Seals, Notaries, & Signatures, by Frater Barrabbas
Crossed Crow Books, 1959883968, 170 pages, May 2025

Frater Barrabbas’s The Magical Notary Art is a detailed compendium for those interested in mastering the skill of transforming the written word, sigils, and symbols into vessels of power. Notably not a book for beginners, Barrabbas’s teachings are a mixture of scholarly background information and practical guidance for those interested in adding this skillset to their magical practice. Detailing different techniques and methodologies, Frater Barrabbas has created a multi-faceted resource that provides practitioners with a strong foundation to further their craft of notary arts.

“The notary art is a method of writing or producing an occult language that has meaning and significance within the spirit world, and therefore has a certain power and mystery in the mundane world.”11

Before delving into art of notary, Frater Barrabbas provides a solid introduction about what notary art is and how it works, including an overview of information model theory. (Side note: For those interested in learning more about the linguistics of magic, I encourage reading The Languages of Magic by Toby Chappell, which I read just a few weeks ago and made me feel more prepared for the content of this book.)

“Part 1: Sigils, Seals, and Signatures for Spirits” focuses on applying these notary arts to empower one’s rites with the invocation and evocation of spirits. The methods covered by Frater Barrabbas are magic squares, which he notes is one of the oldest methodologies to create sigils and seals, planetary kameas, alphabet wheels (Hebrew, Greek, and Latin), and angelic and demonic seals. There’s also a chapter on how to create magical signatures by condensing letters that includes a fascinating section on how tarot can be used to define the qualities of a spirit.

Frater Barrabbas teaches how if one wants to work with a spirit, especially one with minimal lore, the magical practitioner can do a general reading about their spiritual nature by noting the major arcana tarot cards that correspond with the letters in their name and doing a reading in order to prepare for conjuring. To be honest, I didn’t try it out with any spirits yet, but I did it for my name, along with some family members’ names to practice, and it was quite illuminating!

Through the chapters, Frater Barrabbas includes tables, drawings, and step-by-step instructions detailing exactly what to do for each of these methodologies. I appreciate how he openly shares which techniques he personally uses in his practice compared to those which he doesn’t utilize but is still sharing the how-to for others.

For instance, though he shares how to use magical squares to draw sigils, he also writes “Many spirits do not fit into these nice and neat categories, and some of them cannot be adequately represented by Hebrew spelling since they have Greek or Latin origin.”12 I enjoyed the balance of Frater Barrabbas’s teaching how to perform the methodology while also openly acknowledging the limitations; it gives a lot of room for the practitioner to make their own decisions and find what works for them.

“Part 2: Alphabet of Aspirations: Sigils, Words, and Phrases of Power” focuses on notary arts “derived from phrases that describe desires, aspirations, and magical objectives.”13 In this section, Frater Barrabbas shares the work of Austin Osman Spare (specifically his alphabet of desire), pictograms, and creating chants and mantras based on graphic sigils. This section gives readers free-range in crafting notary art that aligns with their personal intentions, offering plenty of creative freedom within these structured techniques.

My favorite part of this section is Frater Barrabbas’s discussion of Art Notoria: the Notary Art of Solomon the King from the late medieval period. The magical notae showcase “great symbolic figures and geometric shapes where these prayers and words of power and evocation were integrated into designs”14. Frater Barrabbas testifies the magical potency of working the nota and teaches how modern practitioners can include them in their workings now.

“Part 3: Rites of Sigil, Seal, Note, and Signature Consecration” and “Part 4: Magical Uses of Sigils, Seals, Notae, and Signatures” delve into the two ways the notary arts become activated and empowered: consecration and rites. These are how the magical link is established, determining whether the work is successful or not. In the introduction, Frater Barrabbas explains:

“It doesn’t matter if the main magical working is employing the spirit model, energy model, or the psychological model: building and deploying the magical link between subject and object through the domain of Spirit is integral to all forms of successful magic.”15

These sections are where Frater Barrabbas teaches just how to do this to ensure one’s notary art has the oomph and connection needed to serve its function. Methods covered include the use of sacraments, which themselves need to be consecrated and charged, mediation, and chanting. Also covered in these sections are creating sacred space and discussions of different forms of magical operations (energy, spirit, and psychological/temporal) so that readers can select the model approbate for their working. Within the spirit model is a great conjuring rite for those who are interested in performing this as part of their notary art.

Towards the end of the book, Frater Barrabbas covers the many ways a practitioner can incorporate the notary arts into their rites: imprinting and directing raised energy fields, symbolic naming for invoked or evoked spirits, building a temporal link and directing talismans, deity placeholders and naming animated statues and pictures, and working with consecrated sigils and notae. For each section, plenty of detail is provided, including tips from Frater Barrabbas and resources for further study, if the practitioner wants more information.

Frater Barrabbas writes with clarity and authority, ensuring his research and expertise comes across in a balanced manner. His tone is rather serious, giving a weighted testament to the content of the book. However, his earnestness lets readers know he understands the process of gaining experience and growing as a magical practitioner, leaving room within the text for readers to find their own way too.

Overall, The Magical Notary Art is perfect for practitioners seeking to become both scribe and sorcerer. To practice this craft is to engage with magic in a form that is both deeply structured and beautifully fluid, where every flourish of your pen becomes a spell and every seal a sacred binding. Frater Barrabbas’s coverage of this magical art is comprehensive, providing many directions one can take in their practice. For those feeling the call to study the notary arts, this book is a great foundation from which to take your craft to the next level. Your ink is your wand, and this book is sure to unlock new levels of mastery.

Manifestation Perfected, by Baptist De Pape

Manifestation Perfected: Six Steps to Embody Your Soul Purpose, by Baptist De Pape
Findhorn Press, 979-8888502518, 256 pages, March 2025

Manifestation Perfected by Baptist De Pape is a book that will help guide the soul into alignment while finding your authentic self and learning how to find your soul’s purpose. This book is excellent for beginners.

The first step, “Part One: Recognizing that You are a Soul”, brings us to chapter one and shares with us evidence through the stories of others who have gone through a soul experience. Each story is drastically different from one another, but all share one thing in common: when storytellers accepted their soul’s path, they gained the success that they have now.

We get evidence from the stories of Anita Moorjani who had a near-death experience that essentially changed her in many ways; she knew her work wasn’t completed and her body healed. We also read about J.K Rowling’s story of her getting stuck for several hours on a train when suddenly the inspiration for Harry Potter struck her. She chose to let herself explore these ideas instead of finding other ways to pass her time.

Seeing how others were able to realize that this is what they needed in order to transform not only shows that it’s possible but this can open our eyes to how we can come into alignment as well. Throughout the book we are greeted with many other stories that give us more clarity as well as evidence to what De Pape is explaining.

The next topic of discussion is about souls. Here we learn a little more about souls and how when we’re aligned with our soul miracles happen. De Pape teaches when we’re trying to align with our soul that we can’t also align with our fearful side. Focusing on what you do and don’t have and trying to impress others leads to forgetting who you actually are.

Chapter two tells us exactly why we should be interested in finding the soul’s voice as well as our authentic selves. From this chapter I gathered the knowledge that without finding your authentic self, you can’t manifest because you cannot hear your soul’s voice.

Chapter three is the start of “Part Two: Finding Alignment with Your Soul”. The next step in the soul’s journey to discover your purpose, but after chapter three it seems like chapter four comes so quickly! The chapters are pretty short, there’s a total of twenty nine chapters to cover. I’ll give the overall summary of each one!

Chapter three tells us more about Higher Awareness, which was mentioned in the previous chapter. Here De Pape teaches us how to become more connected with Higher Awareness by listening to our intuition. Chapter four goes over some of the progress we’ve made so far, from recognizing how we are souls, to Higher Awareness now to explaining Source and our connection to the Universe’s endless creativity.

Then chapter five goes into detail about why you should be listening to your soul. Chapter six discusses how to connect to the soul, finding stillness and quiet is the core, but that connection can be found in nature, spending time with a pet, meditation, and so on. Then Chapter seven shows us what it means to align with your school and how you align with it. Now moving into chapter eight we learn about some practical ways to align with your soul successfully.

Then chapter nine is the start of “Part Three: Staying in Alignment with Your Soul”. This chapter teaches us the power of our emotions, while chapter ten explains how we need both infrastructure and intention. It’s explained that not only when we manifest do we need the intention but we must also take into consideration the infrastructure, what makes the manifestation functional. This topic I feel isn’t brought up enough when I see or hear anything about manifesting. It’s important to think clearly and cover every moving part that is needed to make the manifestation successful!

But after learning the importance of having a solid base for manifesting. We move into chapter eleven and learn and understand more on intuition, mainly focusing on primarily where intention comes from. Moving onward to chapter twelve and thirteen we learn about synchronicity. Chapter fourteen teaches us how to tell when we are in alignment with our soul.

Now we’re on “Part Four: Identifying the Intentions of Your Soul”. Chapter fifteen tells us how to trust your soul. Chapter sixteen discusses how to stay connected when we feel totally disconnected. Chapter seventeen talks about the soul and the material world, while chapter eighteen dives into the soul and health, chapter nineteen covers the soul and humor.

Now we are brought to “Part Five: Manifesting from the Intention of the Soul”. This section begins with chapter twenty, which guides us through the money and the soul, along with how to manifest wealth as well. Chapters twenty one and twenty three talk about success stories while chapter twenty two briefly goes over manifesting negative things. Chapter 24 helps us understand more on the purpose of the trials we face, we must all face trials at some point or another, it’s simply a part of life itself. De Pape teaches:

“Every trial is an opportunity for spiritual development. Oppositions ask us to learn about trusting our Souls.”16

This is a great way to look at the trials of life in a more positive manner; they are only an opportunity to learn!

Chapter twenty five goes over manifesting and the unconscious. Then chapter twenty six is just a brief recap on the essentials of manifesting before we dive into the last step.

Finally reaching “Part Six: Our Task Is to Manifest”, De Pape starts with chapter twenty seven and the discussion of why we’re here. Chapter twenty eight follows how we can live a magical life. Lastly, twenty nine discusses the highest form of abundance and this is where our journey with this book comes to an end!

This book’s information is well organized. At the end of each chapter I found the “In a Nutshell” section very helpful to digest the information I just took in. These are little exercises to help guide the soul in the right way to alignment.

Getting to read many soul transformation stories of successful individuals was uplifting. Seeing how and where they were before they became successful is proof that once we align to our souls we become one with our journey and purpose entirely. Truly anything becomes possible then!

Manifestation Perfected is a good read for when you feel off track in life. It’s absolutely possible for you to get back into the right flow of things if your soul isn’t falling into alignment, and this book is a good pick me up if you’re feeling this way. Everything covered in this book will help you expand your knowledge and hopefully help you manifest like a pro!

At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical, by Claude Lecouteux

At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical: Nature Spirits, Shapeshifters, and the Undead in the Never-Ending Middle Ages, by Claude Lecouteux
Inner Traditions, 1644119935, 288 pages, January 2025

If you enjoy epics like Beowulf or Gawain and the Green Knight, along with enjoying learning the implications of these stories, then At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical: Nature Spirits, Shapeshifters, and the Undead in the Never-Ending Middle Ages is a magnificent read for you.

In the first chapter, I really enjoyed learning about the common threads found in literature that began in the 900’s, continuing through the fates of Shakespeare, and then carrying on into modern  classics like Hocus Pocus.

Lecouteux offers insight into many of the parallels of the great modern epics and the influence of medieval story-telling. The author draws examples from both well-known and well-loved literature and media, such as Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Shakespeare’s plays, George Lucas’ Star Wars, and also briefly steps into the world of role-playing games, such as World of Warcraft.

While reading, I enjoyed the incredible diversity  of magical entities that Lecouteux categorizes, including revenants, vampires, the living dead, magicians, spirits, faeries, pirates, monsters, and the list goes on. Under each category of beings, Lecouteux provides examples of numerous literary appearances. He discusses how some of these characters change and also how various versions highlight new or different viewpoints/aspects of the being. With each variation or interpretation comes slight change or modification to the existing lore of these characters. 

Moving beyond the characters of medieval lore, Lecouteux additionally explores the setting of these stories, including mountains, forests, marshes, seas, lakes, and rivers and even the elements of nature. The magic and mystery of the untamed spaces draws the imagination into stories of epic proportions.

Throughout, Lecouteux draws insight into the belief systems of the people of the medieval time period. For example, Lecouteux dives into the mythology of clouds and the belief that humans were created with the essence of clouds:

“God in his omnipotence, made many things. He created the only man from right parts: from earth he made his flesh; from the dew he made his sweat; from the stones, his bones; from plants, his veins; from the grass, his hair; from the sea, his blood; from the clouds, his mind: from the sun, his two eyes.”17

And what a beautiful parallel of human form to nature. 

As a reader of fantasy and sci-fi, I enjoyed identifying the archetypes and tropes in the stories that I have read both as a youth and throughout my adult life. 

One of the fascinating points the author makes is that we are not as far removed from medieval culture as we believed we were. The tropes, archetypes, and fantasy-world live on in our daily lives through the stories we read, watch, and retell. And THAT, dear friend, is an incredible concept. 

In medieval stories, one of the prominent themes that I gathered from Lecouteux’s work is the human response to unknown magic. In my understanding of human response mechanisms, fear of the unknown is a driving force in how humans respond to unknown stimuli. And in the case of medieval legends and lore, this is also the case.

Lecouteux references beheadings, deaths, murders, and violence as common reactions to fantastical situations and settings. And while these stories are nearing a thousand years in age, the same premises are prevalent in modern stories and epics. In Lord of the Rings, a gruesome war is waged. In Game of Thrones, violence and death are witnessed in seemingly every episode.

Overall, Lecouteux’s At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical is a deep dive into the stories of the medieval mindset, as well as the exploration and fears of wondrous, magical, and fantastical entities and tropes. If you enjoy the history of literature, literature analysis, and learning about the tropes and archetypes of historical fiction, this book would be a solid addition to your library. Additionally, I was happy to learn that Lecouteux has many, many books for further reading: Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder, The Tradition of Household Spirits, Demons and Spirits of the Land, and Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore, Mythology, and Magic.

Frame This Oracle, Juno Lucina and Dan Goodfellow

Frame this Oracle: A Tool to Deepen Your Card Readings and Reframe Your Perspective, by Juno Lucina and illustrated by Dan Goodfellow
REDFeather, 9780764368271, 144 pages, 25 cards, December 2024

With Frame this Oracle, Juno Lucina and Dan Goodfellow have created a unique divinatory tool that takes the reader deep into the realms of imagination, artistry, and magic. From the moment you open the box, you are drawn into a world of layered meanings, evocative visuals, and profound themes.

Juno Lucina is the pen name of a talented tarot master, who has created two tarot decks and written a definitive book on tarot. Her articles appear in numerous online journals, and she is a popular speaker at tarot and divination seminars around the US.   She also writes fiction under the pen name Rose Guildenstern. Lucina lives in Connecticut, and you can learn more about her on this website.

Dan Goodfellow is an artist with a wide range of skills, from pen and ink to digital art.  As a professional artist, he also considers himself a “Druid Shaman, Storyteller and Healer.”18 He has illustrated several tarot decks and lives in Bath, England.  Connect with him on his website.

The primary strength of Frame this Oracle lies in its concept. It invites the reader to interpret and re-interpret its layers, much like an oracle delivering cryptic wisdom. This title alone is a clever play on words, suggesting a duality: the act of framing as a literal boundary and the broader act of understanding. This oracle evokes mystery, prophecy, and insight, setting the stage for an exploration of more than a tarot or oracle card alone can divine.

The cards themselves are deceptively simple: a frame that features artwork along a certain concept. These concepts are grouped together in collections of five cards that fall under a specific theme, such as Living, Inspiration, or Mysteries. Within twenty-five cards, Lucina and Goodfellow have created twenty-five jewels of art and wisdom. When you place one of the frames on top of a tarot or oracle card, you add another layer of insight and a new type of divination tool:

“This Oracle is full of pointed edges – boundaries that point the way. Each card is a threshold to focus you, direct you to see what you’re missing, to understand what’s vital. These edges will poke you… bother you… wake you up in the wee small hours of the morning and wriggle around in your mind, heart, and soul to infiltrate all those heart crevices, cracking wide open those walls to let in… not what you think you want … but what you know you need.”19

The guidebook is a masterpiece! After her extensive introduction, Lucina explains how to best use the card frames, including how to combine them with other objects, such as crystals or meditation. Next, she explains why she makes use of questions as part of the guidance:

“Questioning makes you open. It forms new patterns in the brain instead of reverting to old patterns of bias.”20

In addition to suggesting that you select a card at random, she also says that you might look through the frames and choose a frame that calls to you. Or you may use the lists of frames to select a topic that may pertain to your query. Lucina also shares ideas for spreads and how to use the frames for maximum results. 

To test this deck, I took it to my Friday Coffee & Cards group and my friends utilized various decks in tandem with Frame This Oracle. One friend paired #6 Start with her 2 of Pentacles from Thoth Tarot.  From the guidance and her own intuition, my friend came up with this affirmation: I am starting something new, and I am adaptable and flexible. The question from Lucina’s guidance that spoke to her was “What is starting around me that I may be missing?”21

Another friend pulled the 10 of Cups from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck and then selected #20 Divinity from Frame this Oracle. She almost began to cry as she read the guidance from Lucina and spoke briefly about letting go of shame and embracing the happiness of her beautiful family. She also shared that she will be journaling daily to listen more to the Divine and allow a more compassionate Goddess to guide her life. 

Frame this Oracle trusts the reader’s intellect and emotional depth, allowing each person to derive their own understanding. This approach not only makes it highly engaging but also ensures its lasting impact, as different viewers uncover new meanings with each encounter.

I really enjoyed the ease of using these frames. Not only does it add a layer to your usual tarot or oracle reading, but it also invites you to be creative and daring in using your intuition. My favorite frame in the deck is #8 Stop. This card features lots of visuals that are jarring and somewhat frightening. Yet, as I sat with the frame and the guidance from Lucina, I began to see what needs to STOP in my life.  And this knowledge provides direction and healing.

Lucina also includes a blank frame, which she calls Void and poses amazing questions and exercises to expand your vision and open your mind.  Finally, she invites you to turn over the frame and use the back of the frame, which looks like a wooden window, with side panes of glass. She calls this the Open Window and asks you to:

“Contemplate the contents of the open window to see the focal points of your own personal frame reflected. What frames that you’re creating for yourself are revealed within your open window?”22

I plan to keep Frame This Oracle on hand to enhance client readings and share Lucina’s insightful questions for journal exercises. The novel approach of this divinatory tool makes it fun to use and brilliant to bring into readings for others and myself.  As Lucina says in the conclusion:

“Frame This Oracle will refocus the almighty power of your attention away from what generally engrosses you, whether mindlessly or obsessively – away from virtual media, what other people think, what you’ve been taught to believe, what you’ve decided must be so (or mustn’t be), what seems to matter – and allow you to perceive what you’ve been missing.”23

Sun-Steeped, by Shannon Christine

Sun-Steeped: A Golden Hour–Infused Affirmation Deck, by Shannon Christine
Red Wheel, 1590035801, 64 pages, 54 cards, June 2025

Sun-Steeped: A Golden Hour-Infused Affirmation Deck by Shannon Christine is a deck that is truly inspired by the Sun. Each and every message is bursting with positivity and very wonderful and helpful advice. This oracle deck is absolutely amazing in so many ways, but what stands out most to me is its simplistic artwork and powerful messages.

The guidebook that the deck comes with is short and sweet, but each message fills you with warmth and positivity and you gain knowledge that will help you grow and expand. Every message is meaningful and easy to understand just by looking at the card itself.

The artwork is simple but there is a warmth that surrounds each card. There is a teacup on the back of each card which adds more of the pleasant warm vibe, I also enjoyed the light and colorful color scheme. The imagery fits the messages of the cards very well. For example the card “I light the light in everywhere I can” shows a heart with a sun inside of it and the background has sun rays behind it. The card’s message matches the artwork gloriously.

Each card is numbered, but it’s really small and can be found on the bottom right corner of each card. I didn’t notice this until pulling my fourth card. This is the only complaint I have about this deck; it would be helpful if the numbers were just a little bigger. But otherwise, the art for each card was crafted with care, to make each and every message stand out and make sense.

The deck shows a lot of imagery of figures and hands, but some of the cards like “I take action from a place of love” and “Unapologetically is the way to be” depict a heart and sun respectively. At one point I came across a card with artwork of the Earth as well.

This deck has many teachings that need to be seen and heard, such as “When my cup runneth over, I pour into others”. In this day in age where selfishness rules the world, it’s a great reminder that if you have extra, give to others that may need it.

Every card I’ve pulled has been what I needed to hear in that exact moment as well. For example, “My energy is a currency, I choose to spend it wisely” is a card I pulled as I was struggling to find the motivation to get better at time management. This card truly called me out when I needed it most. At the time, I was struggling to find time to work on the twelve other projects. The message was a helpful realization for me to pull through and manage my time better. In the guidebook, Christine writes:

“Time to audit your energetic finances and see what needs to be prioritized, and what needs to be given the chop.” (Page 30)

Each card has the most helpful advice along with a strong message, a prime example was when I pulled a collective message and the card that I pulled read, “I have the grace to know when it’s time to let go”. This is a powerful message to send out to the collective I felt. We all carry something that burdens us. But it’s important for us to let go of what has been burdening us for so long and relieve ourselves of the weight that it carries for the greater good. We must do this for ourselves at some point.

It didn’t take me long to connect with this deck, I’ve worked with it for about three or four days now, and the energy that radiates from this deck is very caring and empathic. With each and every card I had pulled there was an instant connection of understanding, even when I got called out, it was still from a place of caring. A truly beautiful thing indeed.

The cards felt like they belonged in my hands and they shuffled with ease. The cards are thin but very strong. The box is very simple but nice, there’s artwork underneath the cards and when you flip the lid over the box, you reveal a message saying “Peace can be found in the present moment.”

Sun-Steeped has been very helpful in aiding me with some well-needed daily positivity as well. I would have to say if you are looking for a deck that provides you with positivity, encouragement, kindness, and understanding, well then look no further! This deck will provide you with this type of support. This deck has been very lovely and has been presented beautifully; the art is very eye-catching and stunning. I have found the messages to be helpful and gentle reminders of things I must do in order to take care of myself and grow.

Palmistry for Happiness, by Ghanshyam Singh Birla and Guylain Vallée

Palmistry for Happiness: Transformational Power of Vedic Hand Reading, by Ghanshyam Singh Birla and Guylain Vallée
Destiny Books, 979-8888500378, 256 pages, April 2025

Palmistry for Happiness by Ghanshyam Singh Birla and Guylain Vallée offers a unique and insightful approach to Vedic palmistry, merging traditional techniques with modern understandings of psychology and well-being. This book is designed not only to teach readers the art of reading palms but also to help them gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others, fostering a path toward greater happiness and fulfillment.

Ghanshyam Singh Birla (1941-2024) began learning Vedic palmistry and astrology from his paternal grandfather in India. His grandfather was a well-known palm reader, astrologer and Ayurvedic healer. After moving to Canada, Birla founded the Birla Vedic Center in Quebec. He also wrote numerous textbooks on palmistry and taught classes for more than 40 years.

Guylain Vallée is the protegee of Ghanshyam Singh Birla and has been involved with the Birla Vedic Center since 1985. As a Vedic palmist, astrologer, and teacher, Vallée has taught thousands of students.  She has even written a biography about her life as a palmist titled The Happy Palmist. Working with Birla, Vallée has also created a series of 90-Day Challenges to utilize palmistry as a powerful self-development tool.

Birla and Vallée take readers beyond the stereotypical mysticism often associated with palmistry. Instead, they emphasize the hand as a map of the psyche—revealing our strengths, weaknesses, emotional patterns, and even our capacity for love and joy. The tone is compassionate and motivational, inviting the reader on a journey of self-discovery.

One of the book’s strongest points is how it blends technical palmistry with relatable life lessons. The authors explain the lines, mounts, and shapes of the hand in clear, accessible language, often supplemented with real client stories that add depth and warmth to the teachings. The anecdotes are especially powerful, showing how subtle shifts in behavior and awareness can lead to changes in the lines of the hand—literally rewriting one’s life story.

In fact, the authors devote the last chapter of the book to the idea of “growing” lines that represent happiness. They share an example of spiritual leader Wayne Dyer and how he was able to “transform past hurts and anger into wisdom and empathy, bringing joy and happiness to”24 his life. The authors first met Dyer in 2003 and took his handprints at that time. Later, when they saw him again in 2015, they took his prints again and noticed this change: 

“We see this in his after handprint where his heart line branch is no longer turning downward, confirming that his former emotional reservations had melted away. This reveals his deep conviction to love unconditionally, regardless of how other people treated or responded to him.”25

Palmistry for Happiness includes numerous case studies and practical exercises that encourage readers to apply what they have learned. The case studies provide real-life examples of how palmistry can be used to enhance personal and professional relationships, improve emotional health, and achieve personal goals.

Birla and Vallée bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the topic. Their backgrounds in both traditional palmistry and contemporary psychological practices provide a holistic view that enriches the reader’s understanding. Their expertise is evident in the detailed analysis and thoughtful guidance offered throughout the book.

The book is beautifully illustrated, with clear diagrams and photographs that complement the text. The design is both aesthetically pleasing and functional, making it easy for readers to follow along and practice their palmistry skills. When the authors discuss a certain marking, they present at least one photograph of a handprint that shows the marking. They also show contrasting markings, to better understand the significance of differences.  

For example, in their discussion of Mars markings, the authors show examples of a balanced, overactive and underactive Mars. Birla and Vallée also share quite a lot of information that details what each of these states means in everyday life.

The book is structured into nine chapters that share Birla’s story, Vallée’s journey, the basics of Vedic palmistry, the importance of the Moon/Venus/Mars markings, and how to read lifelines. They also touch on elements and chakras, mindfulness and, of course, happiness. 

To support the reader, the authors also include a bibliography and an extensive index for locating key information found in the text. 

My favorite chapter is the one about chakras and “mastering our inner energies.”26   I learned that the five elements relate to the five fingers of the hand, the first five chakras, and the Sun and four planets Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter. Within this chapter, the section on Saturn really resonated with me. The authors share a story about a young woman in Rwanda who hid for three months while those around her were killed.  She not only survived but went on to write her story and serve as an inspiration to others. Birla and Vallée share this about Saturn:

“Saturn offers us the choice to let go of our anger and forgive or to hold on to it and continue to hate.”27

I also enjoyed the chapter on the lifeline and all the “happiness boosters,” which related to special breathing techniques. I have enjoyed alternate nostril breathing for many years but was unaware of its power to promote happiness!

What sets Palmistry for Happiness apart is its focus on transformation. The underlying message is that happiness is a skill we can develop, and palmistry is one tool among many to guide that journey. Rather than offering quick answers or rigid predictions, Birla and Vallée promote mindfulness, personal growth, and the healing of emotional wounds. As Birla explains in his own chapter:

“Observing my grandfather work with his patients demonstrated to me time and again that restoring and creating balance in our life is a matter of developing self-awareness, which I have mentioned is one of the main things palmistry helps us to do remarkably well and with surprising speed. Dadaji helped others live happier lives, and in doing so helped make the world a better place in which to live. As I grew older, I became increasingly determined to follow in his footsteps.”28

Whether you’re a curious beginner or someone familiar with palmistry, Palmistry for Happiness is a gentle, inspiring, and often profound read. It invites you to look at your hands—and your life—with more kindness, curiosity, and hope. I plan to get some ink and inspect my hands and those of my close family members to see what I can learn. I’ll also share some of the breathing techniques with clients to foster more happiness!

Naturally Psychic, by Karen Harrison

Naturally Psychic: Awaken Your Intuitive Abilities, by Karen Harrison
Weiser Books,  978-1578638796, 240 pages, April 2025

“Why did you instinctively pause at the green light, even though your eyes did not at first detect the car hurtling around the corner to run the red light?  Because you sensed a quickly shifting energy patter and were fast enough to react to it at an unconscious (psychic) level. Your eyes could not detect the accelerating car because it was out of your line of sight around the corner, but your psychic senses were on alert and aware on our behalf, transmitting the unconscious  information to your brain that you should not move forward.”29

Naturally Psychic: Awaken Your Intuitive Abilities by Karen Harrison takes the reader on a journey of opening to the instinctual nature within each of us, which when allowed to develop and flow in an organic way can be used as a tool of connection to our intuitive self. Using exercises, personal stories, and practical theory, Harrison cuts through the glamour and often elitist attitude towards psychism allowing for confidence building and trusting your abilities. 

This book is organized into ten chapters. The title concludes with pages of Suggested Reading and Resources, offering of endorsement for Charles Cox, an ordained Spiritualist Minister who works in communication with the dead. His website is referenced as a source of gaining more knowledge in this manner of psychic ability. An Index is included making it a user friendly title in returning to key points or subject matter. 

Thirty-seven exercises are spread throughout the title, giving readers ample opportunity to practice and relax into the use of different modalities in crafting their own abilities. And, although practice and work is indeed required, all the while readers are given agency to be in control every step of the way. 

The first three chapters offer readers a well-planned balance between practice and application that sets the tone for subsequent chapters and the narrowing down of what works and what doesn’t. Chapters 4 through 9 guide the reader into the many ways that psychic abilities may be used, offering plenty of exercises and discussion of the pros and cons of each scenario for use.

I especially enjoyed “Chapter 2: Clairvoyance and Other Techniques to Access Your Psychic Senses”. For those newer to the varied ways that psychic work is processed, the familiarity of starting from a commonly known point of clairvoyance in relation to psychism is perfect. 

“The term clairvoyance means “clear seeing” (clair meaning “clear” and voyance meaning “sight”). This technique is often used to read auras, or to interact with spirit guides to interpret the subtle energy patterns within, surrounding, and acting upon an individual.”30

Discussion of brain wave states and what the aura is follow and once these have been established, the other “clairs” are taken in turn: clairaudience (clear hearing), clairsentience (clear feeling), and claircognizance (clear knowing). Each is presented both theoretically and with tips from Harrison about how she employs them. This chapter concludes with information about the colors often visualized in a state of clairvoyance; their meaning and import in application of interpretation and understanding. 

Another very interesting section was “Chapter 5: Psychic Dreaming”.

“Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to the events, symbols, images, feelings, and people that we experience in our dream states. In many ancient societies, dreaming was considered a supernatural communication or a means of divine intervention-an important message from the Gods or from spirits that needed to be seriously listened to.”31

This chapter explores the psychological underpinnings of dream work, the “sleep temples” of ancient Egypt and Greece and the function of the subconscious in allowing to arise within the dream state what we already intuitively perceive. The precognitive dream state is also discussed and its function and validity for receiving and sharing information of future happenings. The exercises of this chapter cover all of the necessary practices to be developed in retrieving, deciphering, communicating and making use of what is garnered in a dream state. 

The final “Chapter 10: Psychic Etiquette, Hygiene and Troubleshooting Tips” offers a reminder that all of the preceding work is of no use if you do not do what is necessary to care for and renew yourself. Harrison reminds readers to utilize the basic grounding and centering exercises offered in “Chapter 1: Sensing, Understanding, and Using the Flow off Energy in Psychic Work”, taking the reader back to the beginning and exemplifying the cyclical nature of psychic work.

“So before you begin any psychic work, always use the grounding and centering meditation techniques as outlined in Chapter 1. And as you ground and center yourself, extend that energy into the space where you will be working to clear and neutralize it as well.”32

Would I Recommend?

Naturally Psychic: Awaken Your Intuitive Abilities is a readily accessible book on a subject that often is overdone. This title provides clear and simple, yet potent, information and an approach that is less daunting and more organic than other books on the subject. The title choice of  “Naturally Psychic” is not a statement of enticement to readers; rather, it is the approach Harrison has taken throughout her book. The fact that we all are naturally inherently gifted with psychic abilities, the degree to which we are able to cultivate, recognize, and make usable of them  is the only variable in what is often presented as a “special” or “elitist” ability. 

Because I am, as are many others, a highly visual learner, kudos to the publishers for printing a beautiful book. The font is in a lovely blue shade that graces the cover with gold enhancements and appropriately placed geometric and graphic design elements are spread throughout. The book has a very luxurious feel; I believe the paper stock is slightly heavier, giving the reader a feeling of holding something very precious in their hands. This is an excellent book for the beginner as well as a continuing practice for the more experienced.

About the Author: Karen Harrison 

“Karen Charboneau-Harrison has been involved with magick, the psychic arts and occultism since early childhood. Brought up in a household where these philosophies and endeavors were encouraged, she has been using herbal blends medicinally and magickally for decades. Karen obtained her Master of Herbology in 1980 from the Emerson College of Herbology, Montreal.

The proprietress of Moon Magick Alchemical Apothecary since 1978, her blends are used across the nation. She and her husband also own Isis Books, Gifts and Healing Oasis in Denver, Colorado.”33