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Oracle of Heaven and Hell, by Travis McHenry

Oracle of Heaven and Hell: Harness the power of the angels and demons, by Travis McHenry
Rockpool Publishing, 1922785334, 168 pages, 72 cards, April 2024

Few oracle decks have dared readers to plumb the depths of the abyss, to dance on the razor’s edge between good and evil, as boldly as Travis McHenry’s Oracle of Heaven and Hell. In the tradition of grimoire magic, this unique deck conjures up Kabbalistic angels and their rival Goetic demons. Each card presents a dual-sided portrait: a divine messenger on one side, a primordial agent of chaos on the other. These celestial and infernal beings, bound by their opposing sigils, clash and coalesce in a cosmic dance of light and shadow, their wings and claws creating a maelstrom of energy that mirrors the profound duality inherent in the human soul. The cards’ edges, gilted in metallic blood-red, scintillate while shuffling, and the backs bear the sigil of Asmoday, the King of Demons, a potent symbol of forbidden knowledge.

Travis McHenry, a former intelligence analyst for the United States Navy and ordained Baptist deacon, traded his military uniform for the robes of a ritual magician. With a university background in anthropology and a Nile baptism initiating him into the priesthood of Anubis in 2021, he continues to explore the depths of the mysteries.

McHenry is the creator of a variety of tarot and oracle decks, including the Vlad Dracula Tarot, Hieronymus Bosch Tarot, and Egyptian Star Oracle. I’ve been using his Angel Tarot and Occult Tarot to learn the Kabbalistic angels and Goetic demons, so I was thrilled to discover that he has released Oracle of Heaven and Hell, a deck that combines the monochrome artwork from the previous ones, presenting each angel and corresponding demon on the same card, with their sigils popping in a rich sanguine red. This comprehensive deck is a wonderful resource for occultists who want to deepen their understanding of the interplay between these opposing spiritual forces.

As McHenry notes in the introduction, “There can be no light without darkness and no darkness without light.” [1] The accompanying guidebook delves into the origins of the 144 spirits featured in this deck. The 72 Kabbalistic angels, also known as the angels of the Shem HaMephorash, or secret name of God, are divine emanations whose names are derived from the 72-letter sequence found in verses 19-21 of the Book of Exodus, chapter 14, which describes Moses pronouncing the divine name and God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites.

These angels have dominion over the 72 Goetic demons, who come from the medieval grimoire The Ars Goetia, or The Lesser Key of Solomon. These spirits are believed to be derived from pagan gods, fallen angels, and other infernal spirits. According to legend, they were first summoned and enslaved by King Solomon, who forced them to build his temple. After the work was completed, Solomon imprisoned them in a brass vessel sealed with a magical sigil and cast them into a Babylonian lake. When some treasure hunters discovered it and broke the seal, the demons were released into the world. 

According to the occult writings of Cornelius Agrippa, every human is protected by a trio of guardian angels. In McHenry’s guidebook to Oracle of Heaven and Hell, each entry includes the dates and times over which each spirit holds regency so readers can discover their three guardian angels based on their birth date and time. Each demon is also said to be a servant to those born during certain date ranges.

A potential drawback for those who don’t own McHenry’s previous decks, the Angel Tarot and Occult Tarot, is that the guidebook for Oracle of Heaven and Hell does not provide pronunciations of the spirits’ names, which were included in the other guidebooks. This could present a minor challenge for those unfamiliar with Kabbalistic angels and Goetic demons. However, each card offers simplified oracular meanings in the form of one or two keywords, making it accessible to a wider audience.

I regrettably found a spelling error on one of the cards: the name of the first angel, Vehuiah, is misspelled Vehuaih. While this is a minor oversight, it’s worth noting for those who appreciate accuracy and attention to detail. Hopefully, future printings will remedy this mistake. 

When I first opened Oracle of Heaven and Hell and held the cards, I felt intense power emanating from them. It was like the angelic and demonic energies were wrestling with each other in the cards. The more I work with this deck, the more I see the angels and demons as complementary opposites, the angel representing a higher state of consciousness and the demon being a primal, instinctual response. 

To quote William Blake’s Marriage of Heaven and Hell: “Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence. From these contraries spring what the religious call Good and Evil. Good is the passive that obeys reason; Evil is the active springing from Energy. Good is heaven. Evil is hell.”1 Blake eloquently illustrates how the primal tug of war between heaven and hell sparks the Promethean fire of inspiration, the creative tension that fuels all artistic endeavors. The angels and demons represent a delicate balance between rational consciousness and primal instincts. 

The Oracle of Heaven and Hell has challenged me to develop a more nuanced approach to interpretation. When I draw a card, regardless of whether the angelic or demonic side is upright, I consider both perspectives, viewing them as complementary aspects of the message. This allows me to explore the light and shadow sides of the information I’m seeking. 

For example, card 4, which features the angel Elemiah, with the key phrase “Divine Power,”2 and the demon Samigina, with the keyword “Delay,”3 could be interpreted in the following way. Since Elemiah is associated with protection, guidance, and divine intervention, this angel’s presence indicates that the querent is being supported by a higher power and that there is a spiritual purpose for whatever challenges they are facing in their current situation.

The delays and obstacles in their path, signified by the opposing demon, might be frustrating, but may be necessary for personal growth or to help realign the querent’s path with their divine purpose. The overall message would be that a larger, divine plan is at work that involves temporary setbacks or delays, and one must have patience and trust in divine timing, as the delays may be necessary to prepare one for something greater. Even in the face of these challenges, the querent is being protected and guided by a higher power. 

One of my daily draws was particularly interesting. After drawing the “Spiritual Communication”4 card, featuring the angel Nanael and the opposing demon of “Ignorance,”5 Camio, I was startled to receive a telepathic message from Asmoday, the demon king, later that day, even though I wasn’t handling the deck or anywhere near it.

Given his sigil’s prominence on the back of every card, it’s not surprising that he reached out to me after I’d been working with this oracle. I was completely relaxed, watching TV at the time, and his communication came in like a jarring intrusive thought. He let me know that he was displeased that I was ignoring him and was demanding my attention by startling me into recognition of his presence. Remembering that the reversed keyword on the “Spiritual Communication”6 card is “Ignorance,”7 this incident brought to my attention how I can be willfully ignorant of spirit contact, either out of fear or distrust.

Be aware that engaging with this deck can open channels of communication with these entities, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who feels uncomfortable with the idea of interacting with demons. When I initially started establishing contact with these spirits (before using this deck), they informed me that calling upon one of them summons them all. The Underworld resides within us.

Oracle of Heaven and Hell is more than just a deck of cards; it’s a portal to the depths of the human soul. By confronting the duality within, you’ll embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery. This powerful tool offers an alchemical transformation, but it demands courage and a willingness to face your inner demons. Approach it with respect and reverence, and be prepared to emerge transformed.

Angel Abundance, by Belinda J. Womack

Angel Abundance: Revelations on True Wealth From the 12 Archangels, by Belinda J. Womack
Bear & Company, 159143498X, 272 pages, July 2023

Who doesn’t seek positive abundance? And what better entities to impart knowledge on how to live in abundance than the 12 Archangels? Angel Abundance: Revelations on True Wealth From the 12 Archangels by Belinda J. Womack is a book that came into my life at a time of immense self-questioning. You know, ask and it shall be given. I found myself “listening” intently to the messages from the 12 Archangels that came through Womack. Not only listening, but actually infusing my life and thoughts with the messages they were imparting.

Belinda initiates the reader to the concept of the Central Sun which is “composed of the energy we call love.”3 She writes about how we are living in the “Schoolroom Earth,” where we are learning and also remembering that we are divine beings. The Archangels seek to remind us to shift our vibration to a higher sort by letting go of fear and feelings of lack and unworthiness. All this to transform our lives and to move from suffering.

The Archangels remind the reader that their “words are infused with targeted healing energy that supports you or conscious mind in becoming aware of the negative thought habits giving you the message that you cannot have what you desire.”5 I add the caveat that we are giving what we desire if it is for our higher good because as the Rolling Stones reminded us, you can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need. They also provide us with an affirmative mantra:

“The Central Sun, through my own loving and generous Soul, will never deny me what I desire that is for my greatest good and highest joy.”6

The messages in the book go back to the concept that change works from the inside out. How we think and what we believe supports what happens to us physically, financially, emotionally, and yes, spiritually. Words and thoughts are powerful and the 12 Archangels offer a myriad of ways to shift negative self-talk and thinking to raise our vibration to “lighten up.” 

The messages in the book held my rapt attention. I read it slowly, letting the words of the Archangels act as a soothing balm. The book contains meditations meant to reconnect us to the infinite energy and love of Source. “What would life feel like if you were happy, safe, purposeful, and free?”7 Sign me up.

The Archangels show us ways to become aware of how we are controlled by negative beliefs that come in many different versions and strengths that shape our perceived self-worth. To Source we are all divine beings but in the Schoolroom Earth we tend to forget this. The Archangels show us the way to remembering and also provide us with tools to reconnect. 

They “speak” a lot of old stories we tell ourselves of suffering and unworthiness, of how the ego wants fast results. The meditations reconnect us with the wisdom of the divine child who lives within us, the divine child being our “true essence” who “vibrates at the frequency of undiluted love…”8

“When fear seduces you, say, no thank you, fear. I would rather put my energy into receiving abundance!”9

The 12 Archangels lovingly offer ways for us to conquer doubt, loosen the fear of lack of money, and remove blocks to financial abundance. It’s important, however, to follow their prompts, to do the exercises, and take time for the meditations. Why are we accepting less than what Source is offering to us? How do we lose negative familial patterns around money? 

As one who began reading this book at a time of self-questioning, I felt the wrap of angelic love around me as I read.

“Your Helpers in Heaven encourage you to practice letting go of questioning whether your train has been on the tracks or off the tracks for any part of life. Even when your train is derailed or parks itself for longer than you may like at the train depot, Soul is evolving through you.”10

The Archangels ask us to look at how we are earning our money and how we define wealth. Are we happy with the way we earn money? Are we using our unique talents (and yes, we all have unique talents) to bring forth our creativity in ways that support our growth and that of those around us? Are we living our purpose?

They work to help us with healing balance, to help us realize and then bring forth our unique purpose of being in the Schoolroom Earth. I loved that the book imparted ways for us to receive our wealth, create new financial realities, move from suffering, and transform. There are healing experiences imparted through meditations to help us rest, rejuvenate, and receive. 

I highly recommend Angel Abundance. Womack did an amazing job of imparting to us the love and wisdom of the 12 Archangels. The words were soothing but they also captured my rapt attention. I felt the loving support behind each and every word that I read. I truly believed that my highest good was at the forefront of what the Archangels were imparting. Who could ask for more? Ask – and receive. Amazing.

Talk to Your Angels, by Jayne Wallace and Liz Dean

Talk to Your Angels: 44 Ways to Connect with the Angels’ Love and Healing, by Jayne Wallace and Liz Dean, illustrated by Sarah Perkins
CICO Books, 9781800652293, 144 pages, May 2023

Talk to Your Angels: 44 Ways to Connect with the Angels’ Love and Healing by Jayne Wallace and Liz Dean is a jewel of a compendium on connecting with angels. It offers advice for both the novice and experienced angel-whisperer. Much like settling into the arms of a comfy chair and wrapping oneself in a blanket, the book begins with the soothing reminder that angels are always with us, offering unconditional love and infinite support. Because angels respect our autonomy or free will, they wait to be called into our lives.

In Talk to Your Angels, Wallace and Dean offer ways in which the angels show signs and nudges of their existence as well as ways for us to be proactive in connecting with the angels. Wallace, an author and professional clairvoyant, and Dean, an author of over 20 books and tarot decks, impart their knowledge in an understandable, approachable manner. Sarah Perkins’ illustrations accompany each tip and fill the book with beautiful, soothing, images.

The book offers 44 ways to connect with the angels because, as Wallace and Dean explain, 44 is the number of the angels11. These tips are all encompassing, including writing a personal letter to the angels, working with color, aromas, and stones, to cleansing one’s space in alignment with the House Angel. As the authors remind us, communicating with angels engages all of our senses. We might sense them through spoken or sung words, a scent, a tingling in our bodies when our intuition is heightened, a knowing in the pit of our stomach, or the attraction to a color.

The authors recommend starting with grounding, protection, and opening rituals as one begins the communication and offers rituals to this effect. They also offer a closing ritual to protect one from being exposed to the energy of others. To begin talking with the angels, they recommend selecting a page of the book that you are drawn to, asking the angels to stop you when you have reached the tip that you are most in need of at that particular time. The one I chose, or to be more accurate, the one that chose me today was “Discovering Your Angelic Chakra”. This offers a way to activate the angelic chakra on one’s forehead to accelerate the angelic connection. They also suggest crystals that can be used to enhance the effect, namely, amethyst and clear quartz.

While there are a myriad of angels with whom one can connect, we all have one guardian angel who we are born with, who is dedicated to us and us alone. There are three ways offered that one can “meet” one’s guardian angel through meditation and ritual. The meditation has no time limit other than what feels right for you – a minute or an hour. The meditations help you declutter your thoughts and energies to allow you to receive the communication. The authors remind us that our guardian angels are not offended if we choose to work with other angels as well. In fact, Archangels Barachiel and Metatron can be called on to help us connect with our own guardian angel12.

We are offered ways to talk with the angels through seeing repeated numbers, using angel cards, scrying in a tea cup or bowl, cloud watching, and through the use of crystals. You can communicate with the angels through scent by creating angel mists and the use of candles. There’s even a section on meeting with angels in the garden, in the bath (!), and through the use of Tarot cards. Really, there are unlimited ways to speak with the angels and the book offers ways to do so that resonate with you.

Need help? The angels are always here for us. They can help us find parking spaces, find “happy” money by making a “money angel” and keeping it in your wallet, and helping with abundance. Of course, the book offers ways to enhance these connections. There’s an angel to call on for everything from finding lost objects to helping us find love and healing.

The book also contains an Angel Directory that lists 44 archangels and angels who assist in different areas of our lives. Some of these angels might be familiar, such as Archangel Gabriel or Archangel Michael, while some might be new to you, such as Eth, the angel of time who helps things run on schedule or Sachluph, the angel of plants.

Wallace and Dean also offer a directory of angels associated with certain days of the week (Sachiel for Thursday), for each month (Cambiel for January), and for each sun sign (Haniel for Capricorn), if you want to speak with specific angels. There are also angel prayers and channeled angel messages for inspiration that you can read daily or, as the authors suggest, write onto cards and pull one randomly. The inspiring writing includes messages such as “Knowing angels means I’m never alone”13 and “Angels hear me when I talk to them”14.

I found that the offerings in Talk to Your Angels are thoughtful and provocative but also lighthearted because I believe that the angels are here to bring joy, comfort, guidance, and a bit of playfulness. I highly recommend the book and suggest that you live with it, keep it close at hand, and refer to it often. The angels are here for us and the book offers pathways to these loving angels.

Guardian Angel Oracle, by Debbie Malone

Guardian Angel Oracle: 36 Gilded Cards and 88-Page Book, by Debbie Malone and illustrated by Amalia Chitulescu
Rockpool Publishing, 97819225796990, 88 pages, 36 cards, December 2022

I’ve had the opportunity to use many angel oracle decks; you may even call me an angel oracle deck connoisseur. It’s no wonder then that I was eager to see the messages Guardian Angel Oracle: 36 Gilded Cards and 88-Page Book by Debbie Malone and illustrated by Amalia Chitulescu held for me.

Malone has seen and sensed spirit since she was a child14. Plus she’s had seven near-death experiences during her lifetime. She’s shared her natural abilities as a clairvoyant and medium with others through readings and best-selling books, including Awaken Your Psychic Ability and Never Alone. Additionally, she was voted Australian Psychic of the Year in 2013. Malone’s ability to bring to us communication from the angels is a true gift. 

Guardian Angel Oracle was refreshingly unique in its messages, simplicity of use (this is a compliment!), and relatable illustrations. It focuses on the special connection each person has with their guardian angel. The cards offer ways in which one’s guardian angel can connect on specific topics such as past lives, new beginnings, comfort, and dreams. The cards facilitate communication with your guardian angel, while still availing one of free will; you retain the right to choose to follow messages. 

The cards offer positive messages meant to inspire, even if the topic at hand might feel challenging, which is why I appreciated the turnarounds. For example, with the Angel of Tranquility card, the message is that while one might be caught up in a fast-paced, stressful life, “there is a way to get tranquility and peace”15 back into one’s life. The focus is on the way out, not on the “problem.” The recommendations that follow such as taking just five minutes a day to slow down or to listen to calming music are doable. 

The accompanying deck guide recommends a ritual to dedicate the cards to make them your own and to infuse your energy into the deck. Debbie recommends paying attention to “jumping cards;” ones that jump or fall out as the deck is shuffled, as they are ways the angels attempt to get our attention. Anyone who has used decks regularly has most likely experienced these “jumping” cards; they seem to just fly out!

In the guidebook, Malone suggests four card layouts: one card, three-card, five-card, and six-card. The first layout I always do with a deck is a one card pull. I did the one-card pull on two consecutive days and pulled the same card, the Angel of Communication.  The Angel of Communication card shows an angel as an Asian male, dressed in contemporary white clothing with his hands in a guyan mudra pose. Seated on either side of him are an Asian male and female, also dressed in white contemporary clothing (although the woman is also clothed in purple shorts), with their backs toward each other, obviously not communicating well.

The message of the Angel of Communication card is “You have the communication skills within you to share your ideas and feelings with others.”16 The accompanying affirmation is “I have the voice I need to help me communicate with my angels and those around me.”17

The message and affirmation were true for me. But what struck me was how spot on the message was for what was troubling me, that is, difficulty communicating with a loved one. Nothing I tried was working and truthfully, I gave up, which didn’t sit well with me. The writing on the angel asked if I was “finding it difficult to communicate with a loved one about an issue?”18 It recommended a throat chakra clearing and meditation, reminding me that I could call on the Angel of Communication whenever I needed assistance with communication.

The three-card spread helps one with changes, inspiration, and guidance. The five-card spread focuses on what one needs to “work with to help you feel more connected and guided in your life.”19 The cards focus on the question, cause, action (cards three and four), and the outcome/answer. When I did a few five-card spreads the messages I received were right on, surprisingly, so much that I could not ignore them. Again, with this deck I continued to receive very clear messages that directly related to my life. 

The six-card spread, in the form of angel wings, is used for encouragement when one is “feeling disconnected from yourself and your angels.”20 It was a visually beautiful spread that offered guidance and inspiration. A few of the cards that came up in earlier spreads made an appearance in this spread. Malone recommends that one pay particular attention to the sixth card as the angel associated with the card will be the most powerful angel to work with on the question at hand.

Thirty-six angels are profiled in the deck, described by what they assist with. For example, one will find the Angels of Gratitude, Health, Procrastination, and Unity. Each angel is profiled with a positive statement about where one is at the present moment. For example, with the Angel of Balance one reads: “You are in a calm and balanced state of mind. You will make the right decisions for your future.”21 The profile continues with ways to work with the angel and how to hear the communications. It concludes with an affirmation

The deck is illustrated by Amalia Chitulescu, a Romanian-born self-taught digital artist. The front of the cards are done in a bluish gray with floating white feathers among pinkish orange clouds. The card faces vary tremendously with images of people of all races, bringing beautiful diversity to this deck.

The Angel of Comfort card has an African-American couple, with the male comforting the female. Angel wings appear behind the couple. Then the Angel of Solitude card has the image of a radiant female angel dressed in white, her wings open, her gaze focused on the heavens. White doves and feathers surround her. Below her, a woman sits on a canoe, an orange tree growing from one tip of the canoe, an orange and black butterfly sitting on the other tip, with three other butterflies surrounding the canoe. 

Overall, I highly recommend Guardian Angel Oracle for those seeking to connect with their guardian angel for divine guidance. As I mentioned, the messages from the deck have been very consistent for me, providing me with the insight I need to gain a better perspective. The angelic messages are loving, direct, and encouraging. One truly feels wrapped in angel wings when using the deck.

The Magic of the Sword of Moses, by Harold Roth

The Magic of The Sword of Moses: A Practical Guide to Its Spells, Amulets, and Ritual, by Harold Roth
Weiser Books, 1578637260, 192 pages, August 2022

The Sword of Moses, titled Ḥarba de-Moshe in Aramaic, is one of the earliest extant grimoires of Jewish magic. Originating in northern Israel during the third quarter of the first millennium (circa 700-1000 CE), this medieval pre-Kabbalistic book of spells was written by an anonymous author in both Hebrew and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. The author compiled magical formulas from multiple texts and documented his own personal three-day purification ritual of fasting, prayer, and angelic adjurations to be performed in order to gain the spiritual authority to use the Sword. The resulting compendium of 136 spells emphasizes the power of the spoken word rather than exotic ingredients or expensive ritual tools. 

While the book’s epic title The Sword of Moses may conjure up mental images of an Excalibur-like enchanted weapon, the Sword is in fact a poetic metaphor for 1,800 divine names, invoked and wielded by the magician’s tongue. The authenticity of these words of power is proclaimed by inserting them in mythic time. The manuscript claims that when Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the stone tablets of the Law inscribed by God, he also carried with him the Sword of sacred names, which had been gifted to him by the angels. It may seem audacious for magicians to presume they have the authority to command angels to do their bidding, but through performing the purification ritual, which identifies them with Moses, they follow in his stead and invoke the power of the divine names to bend the world to their will. 

When Harold Roth, artist and author of The Witching Herbs (2017), first encountered The Sword of Moses in the occult section of a university library, he was frustrated by its inaccessibility. Moses Gaster, who first translated The Sword of Moses into English in 1896, had bowdlerized the text by censoring many of the spells and replacing the divine names with X’s, rendering the grimoire useless for magical practice. This inspired Roth to do his own research and reconstruct the sorcerous manual for contemporary use. 

In The Magic of the Sword of Moses: A Practical Guide to Its Spells, Amulets, and Ritual, Roth supplies a scholarly background of rich historical context combined with detailed instructions for the modern magician to incorporate the Sword into their practice, making this work accessible to both seasoned sorcerers and curious readers with little to no previous knowledge of Jewish magic. Just as the anonymous author who first compiled these spells made them his own through creative revision, Roth has adapted this ancient grimoire for modern use with his own practical and easy to follow instructions in plain English. 

Roth also supplies his own thought-provoking insights regarding the mysterious manuscript. According to The Sword of Moses, humans were given the spiritual authority to command angels by God, but cannot command the Holy One himself. “However,” Roth says, “one of the most profound conclusions I’ve come to from studying The Sword of Moses is how much the angels seem indeed to be God, in particular because of the recurrence of parts of the ineffable Tetragrammaton in their names.”1 

The divine names are spelled out in easy to pronounce syllables, such as “GiBehRehYoAhLa,” which Roth identifies in a footnote as “clearly the name Gabriel.”2 However, this is one of the few he explains and the rest run together in long strings of barbarous names of power, such as the following, which appears to be a flowing permutation of the four-letter ineffable name of God, transliterated as YHWH: “YoHehWaWaHeh AhHehHeh HehWaHeh HehHehYo…”18 In a spell for wisdom, one of the most curious names mentioned is Prince Abraxas, a Gnostic spirit addressed as a Jewish archangel, who is charged to reveal arcane knowledge to the magician, indicating some syncretism with Greek magic. 

While the power of the spoken word is emphasized, the magician may also wield the Sword in written form by creating talismans, writing the divine names on fabric and crafting them into ritual garments, or even scrawling them on one’s own skin like a tattoo “to protect the magic worker from the wrath of angels, who can easily be offended by humans.”19

There are a variety of intriguing spells, ranging from those addressing mundane health concerns, such as one to cure migraines believed to be caused by a demonic spirit called a palga, to the more fantastical, such as walking on water and path-jumping, a type of supernatural travel involving riding a reed, rather like a witch straddling a broomstick. A few of the spells utilize the apotropaic hand gesture of crooking the little finger of one’s left hand. For example, this gesture is used in a spell to protect yourself “during legal proceedings”21, and in “a binding spell to catch thieves,” the magician is instructed to put their little finger in their ear while saying the divine names.22 

There are even killing spells included, without any didactic warnings or threats of karmic repercussions. Roth says that “Jewish magic does not have any idea of karma, the Three-Fold Law, the slingshot effect, or other negative reactions for negative magic.”23 The Sword gives you the freedom to think for yourself, and decide what action is appropriate and justified in your situation outside of the confines of any rigid moral code. Besides, one might hope that the angels would not bestow such power on someone who would use it irresponsibly. 

In mythic time, Moses himself used a killing curse. Exodus 2:11-12 recounts how Moses murdered an Egyptian overseer who was beating an Israelite slave. The weapon he used to slay the Egyptian is not mentioned, but according to an alternate version of the tale in Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer (Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer), Moses cursed the overseer and slew him with “the sword of his mouth.”24

Before the reader dares to try any of these spells, they must first obtain the spiritual authority to wield the Sword by performing a three-day purification rite, for which Roth gives detailed instructions.

“This book’s aim is to make it as simple and easy as possible while maintaining its authenticity and power.”25

 The magician is advised to bathe in living water, wear only white, avoid contact with anything unclean (including insects, dead things, nocturnal emissions, semen, and menstrual blood), fast for three days, consuming only bread, salt, and water after sunset, and recite the Amidah (the Standing Prayer) thrice each day while facing the east. The prayers are interwoven with potent angelic adjurations addressing thirteen archangels. The purpose of the adjurations is to invoke the thirteen heavenly princes and bind them and all the angels under their authority to the magician, and in doing so, gain control of the Sword. If the magician is not in a state of ritual purity, he risks offending the angels and incurring their fiery wrath. As a verbal fail-safe, the angels are also ordered not to harm the magician.

I believe the threat of being burned alive is a metaphor for the transformative power of the angels. Their celestial fire brings symbolic death and transfiguration through spiritual alchemy, and they will sear away the impurities of the magician in order to make him worthy to speak the divine names. The fiery Sword of Moses bestows the power to change reality, but first the magician must initiate change from within. 

This metaphorical sword of magic words captured my imagination, and I was so fascinated by the divine names that I decided on impulse to perform the purification ritual as soon as possible, following Roth’s directions to the best of my ability. Roth suggests that a long weekend may work well for some practitioners, so I chose Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to perform the rite and began at sundown on Friday in keeping with the Jewish tradition that a day begins when the sun sets the day before. Not being Jewish myself, I didn’t have to worry about violating any Sabbath restrictions. According to Roth, gentiles may say the prayers because Isaiah 56:7 declares that “My house shall be a house of prayer to all nations.”26

Unfortunately, I don’t live close to a body of living water, so I wasn’t able to dunk myself in one, but I hoped that taking a shower would suffice. I avoided using scented toiletries, as these may offend the angels, who are sensitive to strong fragrances, regardless of how pleasing humans may think they are. I wore a white robe for three days and baked my own bread for breaking fast when the sun went down. Even though the bread was delicious, it quickly became boring. I was at least permitted to butter my toast, because according to Roth, “There is nothing that says we cannot.”27 I recited the Amidah and the angelic adjurations thrice each day, while facing the east in my bedroom. Roth assures us that there is no need to cast a magic circle for protection or to contain raised energy because the angels are listening to the adjurations from up in heaven. Each recitation took 35 minutes, which was a test of endurance. The first day was especially challenging because I had a headache from caffeine withdrawals. If I had only had the foresight to give up coffee a few days before I began the ritual, I could have avoided that discomfort. 

The time of day for saying the prayers and adjurations was not rigid, so I chose shortly after dawn for the first recitation, solar noon for the second, and a couple of hours before sunset for the third. As I chanted, I visualized a burning sword revolving in the air before me, ablaze with Hebrew letters that lit up the blade like orange lava, as if it had been forged in a smoldering volcano. Sometimes I got tongue-tied and stumbled over the strange syllables, but in the moments when the cantillations found a steady flowing cadence and rolled off my tongue with natural ease, it felt as though my lips were possessed and aflame with the holy names. I found that concentrating all of my energy on reciting what my conscious mind registered as gibberish banished extraneous thoughts and induced a light trance state which I think is key to facilitating contact with the Divine powers being addressed. Between the fasting and standing for extended periods of time chanting, I often felt exhausted afterwards and needed to lie down. 

While I would love to report that some stellar transformation occurred, or that I had an incredible vision of being gifted with a supernatural sword, after I completed the ritual, I only felt a subtle difference, a numinous sense of peace and gratitude. I felt it to be very healing and it helped me to better recognize when irrational anxiety is knotting up inside of my chest. One line in particular from the Amidah really resonated with me:

“Heal me, Nurturing One, and let me feel healed. Save me, Holy One, and let me know I am safe. Healed in body, mind, spirit. Saved from the blight of my own fears. Heal me from perfectionism and lust for results. Save me from believing my own inner critics and soothe my grief.”28

The Magic of the Sword of Moses will be a treasure to anyone who has an interest in Jewish magic and medieval grimoires. There is a wealth of information packed into this slim volume of less than 200 pages, presented with clarity and precision. The modern magician’s magical practice will be enriched by sharpening the sword of their tongue with divine names of power, as long as they approach the angels with a sense of respect and awe, ever keeping in mind that they are spirits of fire. 

Angels in Waiting, Robbie Holz with Judy Katz

Angels in Waiting: How to Reach Out to Your Guardian Angels and Spirit Guides, by Robbie Holz with Judy Katz
Destiny Books, 1644113163, 144 pages, November 2021

In troubled times, it always feels good to know there is someone we can count on: our guardian angel and spirit guides. But too often we forget our divine, celestial team of support. Angels in Waiting: How to Reach Out to Your Guardian Angels and Spirit Guides by Robbie Holz with Judy Katz is the perfect reminder of the ample assistance available to us, if we just remember to ask. This lovely book opens the mind, heart, and spirit to the Heavenly realms, inviting in a bounty of loving, blissful energy.

Holz is an internationally acclaimed healer and medium. After healing herself of hepatitis C and fibromyalgia with Aboriginal spiritual practices, she went on to write Secrets of Aboriginal Healing and Aboriginal Secrets of Awakening. Currently, she offers healing sessions, guided by her team of spirits, to facilitate healing in clients through tuning into unconscious beliefs or emotional issues contributing to their illness or injury. Katz is a book writer, publisher, and promoter, who enjoys using her skills to connect authors and their audience.

The authors’ compassion and empathy seep through every word of Angels in Waiting, creating sacred trust between her and the reader, as they teach how to awaken to the connection with one’s guardian angel. The book moves at a pace that makes this spiritual practice easy to integrate into one’s life. While communicating with one’s guardian angel is always possible, it can still take time to learn to listen to the wisdom of one’s spirit team. The grounded and simple approach shared for connecting with one’s spirit team makes divine support accessible for all, regardless of wherever you’re currently at on your spiritual path.

“Communicating with these other realms is a process. Contacting angels and guides is not a matter of raising your face toward heaven and asking–even earnestly pleading–for assistance. All your problems will not be magically solved with the stroke of an angelic wand. However, if you take the process of “reaching out” seriously and learn to view it as a series of steps, I promise you it will yield exponential results that will impact your life in many positive ways.”29

And as the authors guide you through this process, it’s as though they intuitively knew the questions you might ask and wrote about it for you. Multiple times, just when I was starting to question something, the next section answered it! For instance, I was wondering how one distinguishes between information from their guardian angel and information from their mind, and Holz and Katz write all about this and includes a list of signs that one’s guardian angel is trying to connect with them.

Just like human relationships, the authors emphasizes that our relationship with our guardian angel and spirit guides shouldn’t be one way. I really appreciated her pointing this out, because I often forget this myself. I’ll pray or speak with my guardian angel in times of need, but our relationship would be strengthened by having daily practice. They recommends journaling, making a shrine, and meditating as some of the ways to include your guardian angel in your day to day life.

One thing in particular that is conveyed is the importance of trusting one’s own intuition.

“Your spirit guides and angels will not guide you through your fears. Rather, with great love they will guide you through your instincts.”30

I can’t tell you how many times I talk myself out of doing something I feel called to do, while mustering the energy to do something I don’t feel called to do but think I “should”. The authors’ framing of how our angels guide us through instinct has made me trust myself more since reading the book. I am remembering the purpose of my intuition is to guide my path forward, and that it’s important to listen to my instinct without overthinking things.

Our angels can help us with so many things, which Holz and Katz shares with us chapter by chapter. They covers how angels can help us with money and success, assist us in healing physically, overcome heartbreak, find love, work through life’s challenges, and change our self-hatred into self-love. All we have to do is ask!

It made me start wondering why I haven’t been reaching out to my angels more, and I started a practice of meditating with them for clarity and peace in my life. I am going through a bit of a career pivot right now and have been concerned about the future, so I also have been asking my angels for help, trusting the path forward is meant for me will be divinely guided.

“Let your angels and guides help you find the job, career, or passion you deserve, the one that will lead you to a fulfilling life based on love, not one where you are mired in boredom or frustration. Just know that there is always a way out of a stalled work situation if you listen to your spirit team and let them take the reins.”31

My favorite thing about this book is the variety of techniques used to assist readers, including meditations, case studies, and anecdotes of other’s spiritual journey. The case studies especially helped me to see angelic guidance, healing, and transformation are possible–others have experienced it, and so can I. I’m the type of person who really appreciates real life stories of success–they give me faith and motivate me to nurture my relationship with my guardian angel–and I am really glad that Holz and Katz included them as a teaching tool.

Another really neat thing the authors provides readers with in the Appendix is an explanation of the different dimensions. Many authors toss around terms like the 3rd dimension or 5th dimension without clarification. They discusses a shift in the heart that is changing the consciousness on Earth as more people awaken to the 5th dimension. Since she is using these terms, I appreciated that she clearly defines a dimension and then explains the first through sixth dimension for readers.

All in all, Angels in Waiting is an uplifting book that will help you to attune yourself to communication with your guardian angel and spirit guides. The authors’ approach is practical and down to earth, while simultaneously filled with a supportive, divine energy thorough as well. It’s the perfect book for those just learning about guardian angels. Those who already have a relationship with their angel will surely benefit also from reading it, as the case studies are inspirational and the wisdom of Holz and Katz is generously shared. This book is a small blessing that can most certainly lead to big transformations.

Angelology, by Angemi Rabiolo and Iris Biasio

Angelology: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Celestial Superheroes, by Angemi Rabiolo and Iris Biasio
Red Wheel, 978159003529-0, 287 pages, March 2022

Described as a pop-illustrated encyclopedia, Angelology: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Celestial Superheroes by Angemi Rabiolo (author) and Iris Biasio (illustrator) is an introduction to the angelic realm that presents them as celestial superheroes, much like your favorite comic strip. The book covers angels from various religions and belief systems, and its aim is to “accompany readers on a spiritual journey to discover the power of angels.”1

The central theme of the book resonated with me, namely, “the idea of completing a path – a path that begins with God and leads to humans through the hierarchy of the angels.”2 Although, I’m not convinced that path is completed, for me it is more so walking the path, coming to a point, and then re-walking another path, this still resonated. The author encourages the reader to work with the angels on one’s spiritual evolution. Questions that generally accompany such an evolution include asking who am I, what is love, why is there suffering in my life (specifically) and in the world (generally).

And the Rabiolo and Biasio definitely met their intent of arousing curiosity and stimulation new reflections. The book is not a traditional angel encyclopedia in that the book’s purpose was not meant to “include everything ever written about angels.”3 The writings do, however, drawn on a variety of sources including angels found in the Bible, the Book of Enoch, the Koran, and from non-monotheistic religions such as those found in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Persian belief systems. The hierarchy of these beings of pure spirit is described from the Divine to the human. Included are writings on guardian angels as well as angels associated with certain zodiac signs and planets.

Eleven archangels are profiled as are 213 angels found in various religions traditions in angelic order. Archangels each have a specific task that “influences the existence of every human, and their incessant work permits humans to live their earthly life and to achieve spiritual fulfillment.”4

A Symbol Legend is provided for the archangels and the angels that shows Powers, Classifications in Islamic Tradition, Classification in Catholic Tradition, Classification in Hebrew Tradition, Belonging to the list of guardian angels according to Classification according to apocryphal texts and ancient astrology, theological, and theosophical traditions, as well as esoteric traditions, including evocative magic, peasant culture, and mystery religions, and Belonging to the list of guardian angels according to the Jewish-Catholic classification.”5

The section on the archangels contains more information that on that of the “regular” angels including the respective “power” of the archangel. It’s substantial in its information and includes a blue page for each archangel that writes about a topic pertinent to that specific archangel. For example, the blue page on Uriel describes why this archangel is not one of the archangels recognized by the Catholic Church. Since Sandalphon is the archangel associated with the Earth, the blue page on Sandalphon touches on the Elementals, the spirits of Earth’s elements.

The section on the 213 angels provides one page on each, including the meaning of the angel’s name and its powers. Other information might be its associated zodiac sign (Adnachiel for Sagittarius) or planet (Takiel for Jupiter), who it is the guardian angel of (Manakel for people born between February 15-19).

I enjoyed Biasio’s illustrations that portrayed angels as superheroes as would be found in a comic book. The main colors of yellow, red, and blue made the images pop. The image of Laylahel who governs all nocturnal phenomena, has a figure opening a blue cloak the inside of which is covered in a yellow moon and stars. Hesediel, the archangel of desire and benevolence is portrayed holding a cornucopia from which coins fall. All are fun!

I recommend Angelology as an introductory to the angelic realm. It provides a great overview and is chock full of angels (over 200!) from which one can choose to work with on any area of interest. If you want to work with the Zodiac angels, you’re covered. The planets? You’re covered. Areas such as generosity, peace, or relationships? You’re covered. However, if you are looking for deeper work with the angels, this book does not contain things such as affirmations or meditations on the angels. The book presents the angels in a non-threatening manner and as such it invites the reader to open up to working with these beings who are here, of course, to guide us.

The Guardian Angel Oracle Deck, by Deia Circcarelli

The Guardian Angel Oracle Deck, by Delia Ciccarelli
CICO Books, 180065085X, 160 pages, 72 cards, January 2022

You’ve most likely heard of people having a guardian angel. Perhaps you’ve even prayed to your guardian angel or felt their protection, love, and guidance. But did you know that you can learn more about your guardian angel based on your birthday?

The Guardian Angel Oracle Deck by Delia Ciccarelli features the 72 angels of the Kabbalah, also referred to as the 72 names of God. Ciccarelli explains that there is a guardian angel for each day of the year and on the day we are born, certain angelic qualities are given to us through this guardian angel. Understanding the gifts of our angel reveals special qualities about ourselves and the purpose of our life structure.

“The guardian angel in Kabbalah is also referred to as “the Angel of the Incarnation,” and it tells us what we have come to manifest in ife and reveals our purpose. Knowing our angels helps us to understand how we work on an energetic level and what we need to change within us to transcend to a higher state of being.”32

As soon as I took the cards out of the box, which is nice and hefty for storing them safely, I was overcome with a feeling of calmness. This tranquility made me feel deeply at ease, initiating a moment of inner peace. I hadn’t realized how scattered and discontent I had been feeling until I was washed in this gentle, healing energy.

Each card is absolutely beautiful. In the guidebook, Ciccarelli makes note that angels are high vibrational energy and not the well-known imagery of a being with wings. Therefore all the images feature serene, elegant images of women dressed in flowing robes. It was comforting to see the feminine aspect of angels. There were some I thought might be male angels, but even if so, there is a very womanly feel to all the images in the deck.

Swirling energy and color give a sense of motion to this deck. The energy of the cards is not static; it certainly feels as though it’s flowing through the reader, but in the most gentle way possible. Holding the cards, or even just gazing at them, activates subtle healing and loving energy within me. Instantly, I feel safe and surrounded by a divine presence.

Ciccarelli shares different ways to connect with the angel of the deck in the guidebook. She suggests invoking the angels, meditating with the angels, and doing oracle readings with the cards. There are four spreads shared for readings, indicating what each card placement means when arranging the cards.

However, there is no divinatory meaning for each card like in most oracle decks. Rather, the reader has to piece together an intuitive understanding of the reading based on the attributes and qualities of the angel. I think it’s easiest to do just a one or two card pull, rather than the more complex spreads. I’ve found them to be especially useful for meditation and journaling.

The guidebook is a hard-covered small book. For all 72 angel oracle cards, there is an epithet, dates of their guardianship, name pronunciation, zodiac sign association, angelic choir level, and their associations and qualities. There’s also a picture of each card, making it nice to browse and learn more about the angels even without using the deck.

Immediately, I went to the guardian angel of my birthday: Manakel. I was very surprised and pleased to see that the listed qualities are some of traits I’ve always most loved about myself, including lasting friendships and finding work quickly. I’ve never hesitated to quit a job because I instantly get a new one! And I always cultivate meaningful, lasting friendships that last years, even decades. Knowing these angelic traits and aspects of my birthday make me appreciate these qualities in a new way.

Another one that I really felt connected to was dreams because I’ve always found meaningful symbolism in my dreams and even considered becoming a professional dreamtender. Now, knowing the qualitiesI feel like I know what aspects of my life to cultivate and grow because they resonate with my guardian angel Manakel. The deck is also very useful for learning the Hebrew names of the angels, as well as the different levels of the angelic hierarchy.

I’ve learned so much about each one through reading the associations, and I’ve enjoyed looking up friends’ and family’s birthday cards to see if they reflect traits about them – and they do! This has helped me when giving advice to people too; I could help them to see these attributes they possess, uplifting their perspective and attuning them to their inner gifts.

All in all, The Guardian Angel Oracle Deck is immensely illuminating. The beauty of the angels shines through each card, alleviating all negative feelings and bringing tranquility and peace to any situation. Connecting with your guardian angel is truly a life-changing experience. This meaningful deck will teach you more about your life path and purpose. It’s an incredible access point to connecting with the angelic realm at any time.

Archangel Fire Oracle, by Alexandra Wenman

Archangel Fire Oracle, by Alexandra Wenman and illustrated by Aveliya Savina
Findhorn Press, 1644112787, 40 cards, 144 pages, April 2021

I love angels. Communicating with angels was one of my earliest spiritual experiences. As I continued to connect with angels through books and decks, I discovered sometimes angelic wisdom gets locked in New-Age conventionality and trappings. When I started to explore esotericism and discovered the work of John Dee, I realized there was a magical art to communicating with angels. Sigils became an important part of my work with angels. Since then I’ve been trying to rediscover the relationship between angels and alchemy.

Archangel Fire Oracle by Alexandra Wenman is a true delight to discover for this reason. It goes beyond the positive, affirming messages of other angel oracle decks, connecting the reader with the genuine essence of each angel. The deck is a blend of color healing, alchemy, and angelic knowledge intended to facilitate awakening in the readers. In addition to learning more about each archangel, Women guides readers to tap into the most divine aspects of themselves through the meditations and exercises that facilitate spiritual awareness, transformation, and a deeper connection to the angelic realm.

There are forty archangel cards in this deck. The archangels are grouped in seventeen suits, each based on a healing color ray or sacred flame. I really enjoy visually seeing the archangels through these different color prisms. It adds a visual connection to each angel, as well as helps to identify archangels that are similar in energy.

The cards themselves are beautiful and some of the best depictions of the archangels I’ve ever seen. It’s very clear the illustrator of this deck, Aveliya Savina, had a strong relationship with the angelic realm and a very intuitive understanding of these energies. There is tons of symbolism in the deck, from animals to flowers, that infuse the cards with meaning. All the elements are represented (fire, air, earth, and water), as well as connections to the solar system and earth. There’s also some mythical energy that opens the reader’s consciousness to different realms.

I have so many favorite images in the deck that it’s hard to choose one. For instance, Rikbeil (11) is shown almost wearing a space suit with sweeping pink wings engulfing his body. Then there’s UFO-like flying saucers in the corner of the cards. It’s neat because the cards aren’t pushing alien-angel connection or anything (I’m so leery of that!), but it is an innovative, modern display of the resonate energetic meaning of the card, which reads:

“Rikbiel is known as the “Chief of the Divine Chariot: – the Merkabah. This Cherubim is said to be the “Power of Love” and he helps us to recognize the incredible power of having loving thoughts. A harmonizing angel, who can influence centrifugal force and find the most loving point between two opposing forces, Rikbiel is especially helpful to call on when working in group situations. Rikbie maintains co-operation and promotes open communication. Like the cosmic diplomat in his oracle card, he shows us that when a group strives towards a common goal based in integrity, they can achieve great things.”1

But while Rikbiel has a cosmic unifier vibe, other cards, such as Asariel (22) have aqueous energy. In this card, Asariel is portrayed with a seashell crown, holding a trident. There’s a hermit crab and treasure chest at her feet, while dolphins and an orca whale leap in the background. I’ve loved gazing at it and inviting the marine energy into my aura. The guidebook explains how she calls us to move with flow, trusting our intuition and dreams.

This deck just really stands apart from others due to the masterful artistry, which is relatable and ignites the imagination, prompting readers to understand the archangel’s energy in a way that goes beyond traditional interpretations of them. Savina’s artwork is perfect for contemplation, meditation, and using the cards on an altar, which is what I’ve been doing most frequently.

The guidebook is phenomenal too! For each of the seventeen suits, Wenman provides the corresponding chakra, crystals, essential oils, magical sigils, and star system. This information alone was worth having the deck for because it opens up so many doors for connecting with each angel. I’ve always been very interested in the relationship between constellations and the angels, and this guidebook has been extremely useful for exploring this.

For every archangel, there is an overall description of their essence, a message from them (a quote of guidance, guidance on how to meet the archangel in the energetic realm through visualization, guidance for diamond fire alchemy with the archangel, and a section on becoming the angel (invoking their energy).

What I love about this wealth of wisdom is that it’s suitable for all levels. Beginners will be content to receive a message from the archangels and learn a bit about their energy. Those who are ready to experience the healing of the archangel might want to do the visualization to meet them or the diamond fire alchemy for spiritual healing or transformation. Then for those who feel experienced enough to invoke the archangel, the final section is very useful in how to embody the energy of the archangel.

While the techniques and exercise require a bit of a time or energetic investment on behalf of the reader, they are truly powerful. As I mentioned, I’ve been very interested in learning more about the archangels, their sigils, and their relationship to the constellations. But Wenman’s guide book helps to take my explorations to a new level through the visualizations and invocation exercises. It’s so useful to have guidance about how to connect with the angels in this way, rather than just having to trace sigils out of an old grimoire I found in PDF form.

Overall, Archangel Fire Oracle is the most authentic angel oracle deck that I’ve come across thus far. Wenman and Savina have successfully channeled the archangels into imagery and a guidebook that is relatable, easy to use, and most of all, soul-stirring. The archangels have been liberated from outdated forms and antiquated definitions of their energy. In this deck, the archangels’ essences shine through, opening readers into a current of love, peace, and spiritual transformation.

Discover Your Crystal Family, by Kathryn Hudson

Discover Your Crystal Family: Working with Stones and Their Angelic Messengers, by Kathryn Hudson
Findhorn Press, 9781644113028, 239 pages, October 2021

Stones find their way into my life. I once bought a 20 pound rose quartz crystal while shopping in HomeGoods for baking trays. When friends travel they bring me back stones that they found that “remind them of me.” When I was having “issues” at work, in addition to addressing the situation with my supervisor, I felt drawn to visiting the local rock shop and picked out a stone that I felt needed to be on my desk.

I clearly love stones, but until I read Discover Your Crystal Family: Working with Stones and Their Angelic Messengers by Kathryn Hudson, it never occurred to me that the stones were finding me. An interactive relationship in which they presented themselves but left it up to me to bring them into my life. Hudson offers a very interesting take on one’s relationship with stones. “Of themselves, crystals can do nothing for us: like angels, they can support only our intention in accordance with our free will.”33

The book is NOT a rock encyclopedia. While it does describe certain rocks, their qualities, and their angelic and chakra connections, it offers so much more than dry information. As Hudson explains, “crystals exist to help us find and follow our own path, helping us to find our way home to the truth of who we are.”34 They offer us support that we must be open and willing to accept. I especially loved how she connected the rocks to the “enormous power of our Mother Earth, with the universal support of the Heavens.”35

The book is divided into three parts. Part one, Crystals on Your Path – Understanding the Dynamic, offers four chapters, each dedicated to working with crystals in regard to one’s soul contract, working with crystals and angels, opening up the channels of communication, and choosing stones. I liked how Hudson referred to the crystals as our friends in “low places” since they are from the earth. “Crystals are part of Earth. They act as sensory points for her and her inhabitants…”36 According to her, they help us to heal ourselves and “so healing of ourselves helps the each because we are part of the earth.”37 This was a very beautiful sentiment to me.

While the stones are indeed our friends in low places, they also open us to our friends in high places: the angels. Again though, this is only with our invitation. Hudson writes of her connection to angels via the stones and offers ways and exercises for us to open up our channels to divine communication.

The first section concludes with ways to choose our stones by following what we are drawn to. I’ve tried this exercise of choosing by walking around a gem store and seeing what I was drawn to, often realizing that the type of stone that I initially thought I was going to the store to buy wasn’t what I came home with. But, it never has failed that what I chose was what I “needed.” Interestingly, variations such as jewelry, wands, tumbled stones, and natural stones are covered in depth for those seeking to lean more.

Part Two, Protocols for Healing – Let’s Get to Work, covers caring for the stones. It also offers a “deepening” meditation for connecting with the stones, with the reminder:

“The idea is not that the stones heal the chakras, but rather, that we access energies that we need; when we access and integrate those energies within us, our chakras are naturally aligned.”38

This was an interesting concept for me since up until then I had given all of the power to the stones, and short-shifted myself! Hudson also has a chapter in this section titled “The Fifteen: A Full Complement of Crystals and Archangels.” She provides overviews on 15 select stones, their related archangels, and the qualities for enhancement, such as inner child healed, personal power, and groundedness on the path.

In Part Three, the final section, Hudson encourages the reader to discover additional stone allies that they feel drawn to work with. The ones she offers are her own “favorite 44 friends in ‘low places.’”39 Each stone is nicely photographed and accompanied by it’s aspect (natural qualities), its strength (e.g., purification), and its related archangel (as the stones are energetic mirrors to the angel realm), chakra, affirmation, and message.

I liked this section because it provided a great overview for stones that I was drawn to purchase without knowing any of its qualities, such as Apache tear (a form of obsidian). I also found stones that I was not familiar with and now want to seek out, the main one being Fairy Stones, and ironically that stone is much-needed at this time in my life!

I’ve read many books over the years on stones, but this one stands out. I particularly like how Hudson shows the personalities of the stones. I agree with her that one should choose a stone that one is attracted to, as it will be in sync with your energetic field.

I also liked her reminder to choose a size to fit how you want to work with the stone. For example, if you’d like to have it at hand as a protector or reminder, choose a size that will fit in your pocket or purse or under a pillow. Look at the color stone to which you are attracted – and notice if it aligns with a chakra that needs opening or an energy that you need to awaken.

Hudson also touches on the many ways to cleanse stones from water baths, to moonlight baths, to sunlight– and offers a reminder on what stones should not be placed in water due to their delicate nature such as selenite.

Overall, I highly recommend Discover Your Crystal Family. Read through it to familiarize yourself with all that Hudson has to offer, and then keep it as a companion for reference or reminding. It’s easy to read and understand – and it bridges the Earth with the Heavens. As Hudson reminds us, “crystals exist to help us find and follow our own path, helping us to find our way home to the truth of who we are.”40